WASHINGTON JADE
WASHINGTON JADE

TESTING RESULTS 

 

 All the test results listed below were done in 2007. The instrument used was an EDAX/SEM. This also allows for the testing of inclusions some of which may have effect on coloring. The results to the right of the 2nd picture are of a tiny inclusion. These of course are regular pictures,not taken with the scanning electron microscope.

Mg--------21.0             

Al---------------0.93

Si-------------61.23

Ca------------12.06

Fe--------------4.45 

Na--------------0.26 

        

Botryoidal specimen 

  

      Not Jade

 Na-------------0.26 

 Mg------------20.50

 Al--------------1.06

 Si--------------59.39

 Ca-------------11.93

 Fe---------------6.61 

Inclusion test results;

CuL------5.50

MgK------0.77

AlK-------0.27

SiK-------2.16

S K------50.20

CaK------0.80

FeK------40.31

        Grossular Garnet(massive)

Na-----------------0.50

Mg---------------25.05

Al------------------0.84

Si-----------------61.51             

Ca-----------------9.85

Fe-----------------2.24 

 

Specimen is considerably greener than picture shows.jja

 

 

 

 

 

 

           Green Serpentine

              Black Serpentine

                Diopside  

Jade Experts

Even though there are lots of "jade experts" out there,we are only students of jade here. Often I cut 10-20 pieces of suspected jade in an evening after collecting. I am frequently humbled if not ridiculed by the specimens I have chosen "to be jade". Tremolite,actinolite,talc,serpentine, garnet,diopside,and others conspire to make a fool of me on a regular basis. Field tests for hardness are almost worthless as rinds on even the best jade is often softer than the inside. Talcy,layered looking serpentine can have hard jade inside and hard jade exteriors can sometimes fall apart when cutting from layers of softer rock hidden inside. Serpentine can seem to approach the hardness of jade and at times garnet,serpentine and jade all exist in the same stone.

 Water worn jade is easier to distinguish as the soft parts are usually removed but if you are close to the source it still can be difficult. The PH of streams and its effect on coloring can vary widely from stream to stream along with staining from iron and other minerals. So even experienced jade collectors can have a hard time "reading" the stones here. The farther from the source and the harder its journey the easier it is to tell(ex.-black jade). You must cut(ruin) a lot of good jade specimens to learn and even then its not hard to be fooled. These are my opinions only.JJA

Left : jade, garnet, black serpentine in same stone (beauties for carving)

Middle: green serpentine, red something, and tremolite center(guessing)

Right: hard green jade exterior (though whiteish) inside it has jade look but falls apart when cut (soft layers) pieces are harder than knife blade 

 

Beautiful brownish exterior with green showing through. When broken shows solid green interior. This brown specimen had rare crack through middle so I broke it (schistosis look)to show extent of brown rind common to some jade. Notice the green near the surface in places and varied depth of brown rind.