I need to know what minerals are related to the mineral jade
2007-02-02 14:00:50 · 3 answers · asked by ♥Team Edward♥ 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Jade is a name that was applied to ornamental stones that were being brought to Europe from China and Central America. It wasn't until 1863 that it was realized that Jade was being applied to two different minerals. The two minerals are both exquisite for the purposes that jade is put to task and are hard to distinguish from each other.
Jadeite is almost never found in individual crystals and is composed of microscopic interlocking crystals that produce a very tough material. Nephrite is actually not a mineral, but a variety of the mineral actinolite. The nephrite variety is composed of fibrous crystals inter-twinned in a tough compact mass. Other actinolite varieties are quite different from nephrite.
•VARIETY OF: both jadeite and nephrite
•USES: Gemstone and ornamental stone.
•COLOR: shades of emerald green as well as white, gray, yellow, orange and violet.
•INDEX OF REFRACTION: is approximately 1.66 (jadeite) and 1.62 (nephrite)
•HARDNESS: 6.5 - 7
•CLEAVAGE: does not apply due to massive nature of jade
•CRYSTAL SYSTEM: monoclinic
2007-02-02 14:45:29 · answer #1 · answered by Frank 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Nephrite jade consists of the calcium- and magnesium-rich amphibole mineral actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The rock called jadeitite consists almost entirely of jadeite, a sodium- and aluminium-rich pyroxene.
2007-02-03 04:49:56 · answer #2 · answered by Nitya 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This site should be able to help you: http://www.minerals.net/
2007-02-02 22:45:06 · answer #3 · answered by copperhead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋