Nephrite jade has been prized for thousands of years and carved into beautiful works of art, jewelry and tools. But where is this treasured stone found?
Primary Deposits
The majority of nephrite jade is found in Canada, specifically along the west coast in British Columbia. Significant deposits have been found from Alaska all the way down to California. However, British Columbia is where the highest quality and largest nephrite jade mines exist. Other top sources are Wyoming, Alaska and several areas in China.
In Canada, nephrite jade is found embedded between metamorphic rocks in valleys and mountainsides. Glaciers and rivers have slowly eroded the landscapes over millennia, exposing nephrite deposits scattered throughout the rocky terrain. The Cassiar and Polar mountains have substantial nephrite jade reserves.
For many centuries, the indigenous peoples of British Columbia collected loose nephrite jade fragments and carved them into tools, weapons and decorations. Commercial mining of Canadian nephrite did not begin until the late 1800s in the Cassiar district. Mining continues today, with several active mines extracting nephrite jade for jewelry and carving purposes.
Other Notable Locations
In Wyoming, nephrite jade is found in boulders and veins cutting through mountain ranges in the northwest portion of the state. Teton County is known for its jade deposits. Jade boulders are weathered out of the mountains, where they make their way into rivers. Locals search the rivers for these boulders, which are then sold to carvers and jewelry makers.
The Maoming region of China has historically been an important source of nephrite jade. Although much of China's jade reserves have been depleted, Maoming still produces nephrite jade, often referred to as "Hetian Jade." The jade found here is finer-grained and pure green in color.
Russia also contains some deposits of nephrite jade. The Polar Urals and the area west of Lake Baikal are where nephrite jade can be found. Other deposits exist in New Zealand, Switzerland, Poland, Taiwan, Turkey, Guatemala, Italy and Papua New Guinea. However, the quality and quantity found in these locations is minor compared to Canada, Wyoming and China.
In the U.S., small amounts of nephrite jade have been uncovered in Alaska, Montana, Idaho, California, Pennsylvania and Washington. Alaska's nephrite jade deposits are located near the Kobuk River. California's Big Sur region produces limited quantities of jade. While these states contain nephrite jade deposits, British Columbia remains the premier source for quality nephrite jade used in carvings and jewelry worldwide.
The treasured stone nephrite jade has a very concentrated group of sources, unlike many other gems that are found scattered across the globe. This dense, tough jade is still highly sought after today, as it has been for thousands of years past. The primary deposits in Canada, Wyoming and China continue to produce this prized artistic and ornamental material.
