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Variety · Silicate

Nephrite

Ca₂(Mg,Fe)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂

Felted amphibole jade — softer than jadeite but tougher than steel.

Hardness6–6.5
Crystal systemMonoclinic
ClassSilicate
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Nephrite specimen

Nephrite jade from New Zealand. (public display, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Mineral Museum, Butte, Montana, USA) Nephrite jade (nephritite) is a crysta — Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0

Nephrite

Also known as: Jade (tougher of the two), Mutton fat jade.

The tougher of the two true jades — a felted mass of tremolite-actinolite amphibole fibers, the jade of ancient China.

Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

Nephrite is a mineral variety of Actinolite, with the chemical formula Ca₂(Mg,Fe)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂.

It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system.

Key properties: Mohs hardness 6–6.5; typically green or white or gray.

Collections: Gemstones.

Index entry. This entry combines official IMA/RRUFF species data with published physical-property data and a Wikipedia introduction — a full written entry hasn’t been published yet. Browse more N minerals or help write this entry.