Name/Title
Nephrite Jade RingsEntry/Object ID
2009.64.18 (a)(b)Description
About Nephrite
Name: "The name nephrite is derived from lapis nephriticus, which in turn is derived from Greek λίθος νεφριτικός; νεφρός λίθος, which means 'kidney stone' and is the Latin and Greek version of the Spanish piedra de ijada (the origin of jade and jadeite). Accordingly, nephrite jade was once believed to be a cure for kidney stones." (Wikipedia)
Nephrite is a rock comprising mostly massive microcrystalline to cryptocrystalline felted amphiboles of the tremolite - actinolite series.
Nephrite is one of the two rocks termed as jade, the other being jadeitite = jadeite jade, consisting mostly of jadeite (although the term fei cui jade is now preferred as the pyroxene composition may also include omphacite and/or kosmochlor. Both are extremely tough and resistant to fracture such that they have been used for making choppers and blades since Neolithic times.
In addition to amphibole, nephrite can contain minor to trace amounts of diopside, grossularitic garnet, magnetite, chromite, graphite, apatite, rutile, pyrite, datolite, vesuvianite, prehnite, talc, the serpentine polymorphs and titanite.
White nephrite, termed white jade or mutton-fat jade, is nearly pure tremolite, while most nephrite is green owing to the Fe content in actinolite. Chromium colors nephrite emerald green (via a Na+-Cr3+ vs. Ca2+-Mg2+ substitution) and yellow to brown nephrite is stained by iron oxides and hydroxides introduced along grain boundaries.Collection
RAGM Misc. Jade & Amber CollectionLocation
Location
Display Case
FS-2Room
Frieda Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentDate
September 16, 2023