Rock · Amphibole group
Nephrite
Ca2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2 (fibrous actinolite–tremolite)
Nephrite is one of the two jades: a tough, felted mass of tremolite–actinolite fibres in green, white ('mutton fat') and black, from British Columbia, Wyoming, Siberia, New Zealand (pounamu) and China (Hetian). It is a rock, not a mineral species, and its extreme toughness is why it was used for tools and carved for millennia. Jadeite is the other, rarer jade.
| Formula | Ca2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2 (fibrous actinolite–tremolite) |
|---|---|
| IMA status | rock |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Mohs hardness | 6–6.5 |
| Group | Amphibole group |
| Type locality | None |
Fakes and treatments
Serpentine ('new jade'), dyed quartzite and glass are sold as jade; nephrite is heavier and colder than serpentine and cannot be scratched with a knife. New Zealand pounamu is protected and cannot be exported raw.
Elsewhere
- Wikidata: Q138979
- Wikipedia: nephrite
- Mindat: Nephrite
Cite this article
Stratum Study. "Nephrite" (Mineral). Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19. https://stratum.black/study/minerals/nephrite. Accessed 2026-09-20.
@misc{stratum-nephrite,
title = {Nephrite},
author = {{Stratum Study}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/study/minerals/nephrite}},
year = {2026},
note = {Mineral article, Stratum Study pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-19; sources: stratum, wikidata, commons. Accessed 2026-09-20.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.