Jadeite Mineral Data

General Jadeite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na(Al,Fe+++)Si2O6

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 205.03 gm

Sodium 11.21 % Na 15.11 % Na₂O

Aluminum 11.84 % Al 22.38 % Al₂O₃

Iron 2.72 % Fe 3.89 % Fe₂O₃

Silicon 27.40 % Si 58.61 % SiO₂

Oxygen 46.82 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

NaAl_0.9Fe³⁺_0.1(Si₂O₆)

Environment:

Strongly metamorphosed sodium-rich serpentinous rocks

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1863

Locality:

Clear Creek, San Benito County, California. Near Tawmaw and Hpakan villages, Upper Burma. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Spanish, piedra de ijada, "stone of the side," because its supposed to cure kidney ailments if applied to the side of the body.

Name Pronunciation:

Jadeite

Synonym:

ICSD 10232

PDF 22-1338

Jadeite Image

Images:

Jadeite

Comments: Fibrous crystals of Jadeite.
Location: Russian River, near Cloverdale, Mendocino County, California, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Stronalsite Jadeite

Comments: White stronalsite veinlets in massive pale green jadeite.
Location: Ohasa, Okayama, Japan. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Jadeite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0999:1:0.6095

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.418, b = 8.562, c = 5.219, Z = 4; beta = 107.56° V = 401.23 Den(Calc)= 3.39

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/c

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.83(1), 2.42(0.9), 2.92(0.8),

Physical Properties of Jadeite

Cleavage:

{110} Good

Color:

Green, White, Pale bluish gray, Grayish green, Pale purple.

Density:

3.25 - 3.35, Average = 3.3

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Tough - Difficult to break apart as shown by fibrous minerals and most metals.

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Fibrous - Distinctly fibrous fine-grained forms.

Hardness:

6.5 - Pyrite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Jadeite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.028 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.054 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1979,KPDmeas= 0.2033,KC= 0.2092
Ncalc = 1.68 - 1.71

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.654-1.673, b=1.659-1.679, g=1.667-1.693, bire=0.0130-0.0200, 2V(Calc)=68-78, 2V(Meas)=70-80. Dispersion r < v.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless or green.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless or yellowish green.

Calculated Properties of Jadeite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.26 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Jadeite =3.30 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Jadeite= 2.38 barns/electron
U=PE_Jadeite x rElectron Density= 7.76 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Jadeite is Not Radioactive

Jadeite Classification

Dana Class:

65.01.03c.01 (65)Inosilicate Single-Width Unbranched Chains, W=1

(65.01)with chains P=2

(65.01.03c)C2/c clinopyroxenes (Na clinopyroxenes)

65.01.03c.01 Jadeite Na(Al,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.02 Aegirine NaFeSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.03 Namansilite NaMn(Si2O6) C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.04 Kosmochlor NaCrSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.05 Natalyite Na(V,Cr)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

65.01.03c.06 Jervisite (Na,Ca,Fe)(Sc,Mg,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

09.DA.25 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.D - Inosilicates* Structural terminology according to Liebau (1985)

09.DA -Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si2O6; pyroxene family

09.DA.25 Aegirine NaFeSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Jadeite Na(Al,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Kosmochlor NaCrSi2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Jervisite (Na,Ca,Fe)(Sc,Mg,Fe)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Namansilite NaMn(Si2O6) C 2/c 2/m

09.DA.25 Natalyite Na(V,Cr)Si2O6 C 2/c 2/m

Other Jadeite Information

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Jadeite

Na(Al,Fe+++)Si2O6
Dana No: 65.01.03c.01 Strunz No: 09.DA.25
Locality:

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