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gamaliel114 |
jade
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 Rock-A-Teers |
jade
Apr 18 2009, 2:21 AM EDT
Greetings Gama, This is Leslie from the Rock-A-Teers. I really like your profile. Never new you could find jade in the Northwest Region?? That's pretty cool. How can you tell if it's jade? Is there some sort of test that could be done in the field?? Just curious. We live in Aberdeen, and do alot of beach combing. We always find green rocks that don't look like just green rocks. We go to Birch Bay once in awhile and stay for a few days at The Worldmark. Maybe someday we can meet up there?? Anyway, whatever you can tell me could be a big help. Thanks Leslie
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 gamaliel114 |
1. RE: jade
Apr 18 2009, 3:45 PM EDT
Lets see..yes you can find jade...no you can't tell in the field except by experience. The most you can do in the field is tell what isn't jade via the standard scratch test. Jade should also be heavy for its size, have a waxy luster and a waxy/soapy feel to it. It's fracture has been described as uneven, splintery, subconchoidal and conchoidal. It is translucent to opaque and ranges in color from white to black. To add to the problem alot of the jade around here has a "rind" caused by weathering and oxidation that can be much softer than the jade inside and be a different color with a dull luster. Adding even more confussion to the situation there is this mysterious stuff called hydrogrossular garnet or massive grossular garnet (MGG) that with its whites and greens looks an awful like jade. That said, you are beach combing so stand a much better chance of identifying it as the polishing sands should have done away with most rinds. you can find jade on the coast on the olympic pennisula, which is where I gather you collect. I have never gone collecting there but was planning to this summer. The beaches south of Port Townsend are known for their black nephrite jades (most jade in wa is nephrite) and there are reports of a bluish green variety with flecks of pyrite? in them...these were all deposited by glaciers so their source is unknown. Jade's most common look-a-like is serpentinite, because they are always found in the same areas (even the same stone,same with MGG) but the tell is hardness. Most serpentinites are quite soft and will scatch under a knife blade. However some serpentines are as hard as 5.5...but then that makes them a nice gem stone! the only sure way to know in the end is to proform a specific gravity test, which you can easily do at home. Running out of characters...
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gamaliel114 |
2. RE: jade
Apr 18 2009, 4:29 PM EDT | Post edited: Apr 18 2009, 7:36 PM EDT
...I bet if you showed me some pictures though I might be able to positivly identify what you've collected if the quality is good (lots of pixils) unless the coastal material is vastly different from what I commonly see. There's also the possibility of confussion with green jasper, but I've found that thats much more of a problem in Oregon than in Washington...the tell on that I believe is that jasper has a very pronounce conchoidal fracture, like knapping material. Another resourse for you on the wiki is retiredoldfogee(Aaron) who is also a local jade junkee, and less delusional than me. He's more likely to tell you the sad truth about your finds and has more expierence identifing the MGG. On the pennisula the beaches around Queets(?), Cape Johnson and Clallam Bay are noted. If you wanted to search inland I would suggest Grandy Creek or Deer Creek (Oso). There is a guy who runs tours on Deer creek for jade who actually knows what he is doing...but you have to pay (ask Aaaron about him). I'm still an amature full of hope and dreams of jade. One last note: there is a difference between a "soapy/waxy" feel and a "greasy" feel, serpentine have a greasy feel that can be very distinct...it will literally feel like you got grease on your fingers. Not all serpentinites will feel that way, but ones like "Lily's Lizard serpentine" above do. I would be more than happy to show you around Grandy creek or elsewhere (Finney maybe) next time you come up with a little warning...currently have nothing to do but break rocks and goof off on the wiki...and find excusses to go rockhounding!thanks ~Zeke |
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gamaliel114 |
3. RE: jade
Apr 25 2009, 8:31 AM EDT
I'm actually new to Bellingham so the other day I took the family out to Birch Bay for the first time for some liesurly beach combing. What an awesome place! Thanks for clueing me in. if you're finding odd green rocks there then they stand a good chance of being jade. I don't know what the collecting rules are for that park though. I kept a few pebbles and plan on taking all the little ones up there to teach them how to spot jasper and agate and what not while I grill. Its a lot easier than dragging them into the mountains!Take Care ~Zeke |
