Jadite

=Jadeite= By: Marcos Alamo (repeating unit) || NaAlSi2O6 or Na(Al,Fe3+)Si2O6 ||
 * ~ Category || Pyroxene group ||
 * ~ Formula
 * ~ Strunz classification || 09.DA.25 ||
 * Color:** Apple-green, emerald-green, bluish green, leek-green,greenish white, white, may show green spots, rarely blue or violet; colorless in thin section. Often also banded

Jadeite is one of the minerals recognized as the gemstone jade. The other is nephrite. Jadeite from the Motagua Valley, Guatemala, was used by the Olmec and Maya peoples, as well as the indigenous peoples of Costa Rica. Typically, the most highly valued colors of jadeite are the most intensely green, translucent varieties, though traditionally white has been considered the most valuable of the jades by the Chinese, known for their carefully crafted jade pieces. Other colors, like "Olmec blue" jade, which is characterized by its deep blue-green, translucent hue with white flecking, are also becoming more highly valued because of its unique beauty and historical use by the Mesoamerican Olmec and also in Costa Rica; however, this variety was only recently rediscovered and is only being minimally exploited by native Guatemalans. It is thus difficult to obtain and as yet too rare and little known to have attained great value as a gemstone. When purchasing jade, quality is determined by the degree of translucence, cleanness of color and purity of color. Occasionally, other minerals such as serpentine or quartz are sold as jade but the difference can be determined by cleavage and hardness. Unusual lavender jade (metaphonolite) from Bursa Province, northwestern Turkey. The color is from jadeite pyroxene.

Edited by Marcos Alamo