West Coast Jade
Rock&Gem Magazine|December 2016

Metamorphic Deposits from Canada to California.

Bill Rozday
West Coast Jade

Jade has always been a personal affair with me, as it has been for many; it was considered a status symbol by the Chinese for thousands of years. On my first jade hunts in British Columbia, I followed the riverbank in the footsteps of early 20th-century Chinese gold prospectors, who shipped “black rocks” back to Asia in the coffins of deceased countrymen. They recognized the gem before the British Columbians did.

The jade that these prospectors discovered was nephrite jade. Nephrite is the jade that was originally coveted by Asians and fashioned into innumerable objects of art. In technical terms, nephrite is a magnesium-rich amphibole. It is a fibrous aggregate of tremolite-actinolite, which is a calcium magnesium iron silicate. The name comes from the Greek word for “kidney”, which refers to its alleged power to cure kidney disease. It is found worldwide, with notable sources being in Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, Russia, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, and the United States.

Jade occurs in areas that are subject to intense metamorphism; visually, this translates into rugged topography. The mountainous environment parallels the toughness of the stone itself. The interlocking nature of its crystalline structure makes it among the toughest materials on earth. For this reason, tools have been fashioned out of jade for many thousands of years, since the most primitive of times.

This tough stone cuts across cultures and geography. Many green stones exist, but no stone other than diamond carries such history and shared regard. every tourist in jade country who is looking for a free souvenir wants to find a piece of jade, but finding it is an enterprise requiring considerable knowledge and patience.

Fraser River Jade

Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Rock&Gem Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra December 2016-utgaven av Rock&Gem Magazine.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA ROCK&GEM MAGAZINESe alt
Rockhounding Ohio's Lake Erie Islands
Rock&Gem Magazine

Rockhounding Ohio's Lake Erie Islands

A short ferry boat ride three miles from Ohio’s Lake Erie coastline is South Bass Island, better known as Put-in-Bay or the “Key West of the North.”

time-read
4 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Iowa's Hidden Treasures
Rock&Gem Magazine

Iowa's Hidden Treasures

Exploring Keokuk Geodes: How They're Made & What's Inside

time-read
5 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Agatized CORAL
Rock&Gem Magazine

Agatized CORAL

Florida's Collectible State Stone

time-read
3 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Rockhounding Florida's Beaches
Rock&Gem Magazine

Rockhounding Florida's Beaches

Beachcombing serene stretches of Florida can reveal fascinating finds like fossilized shark teeth, sea glass, quartz, agate and even coral fragments.

time-read
6 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Collecting Staurolite
Rock&Gem Magazine

Collecting Staurolite

Hot Spots In Virginia & Georgia

time-read
3 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Pecos Valley Diamonds
Rock&Gem Magazine

Pecos Valley Diamonds

New Mexico's Ancient Attraction

time-read
4 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
12 Tips for Rockhounding Tucson's Greatest Shows
Rock&Gem Magazine

12 Tips for Rockhounding Tucson's Greatest Shows

Tucson in February becomes the international hub for buying and selling colored gems, rocks, minerals and fossils.

time-read
4 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Turquoise in the American Southwest
Rock&Gem Magazine

Turquoise in the American Southwest

A Water & Sky Souvenir

time-read
4 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Touring Colorado's MINERAL BELT
Rock&Gem Magazine

Touring Colorado's MINERAL BELT

It's a Showcase of Mining History & Minerals

time-read
6 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024
Geology &Colorado's Taurish Traiks
Rock&Gem Magazine

Geology &Colorado's Taurish Traiks

Most of Colorado’s tourist trains today were originally constructed in the late 1800s to serve the state’s lucrative mining operations.

time-read
4 mins  |
Rockhound Roadtrip 2024