1983, a new type of jadeite was discovered in northern Myanmar. Because of the special geological environment, the difference of physical and chemical characteristics, and the special look and feel of ornaments, it was named Basanyu.
Some people call it Bashan jade and mountaineering jade, others call it hard sodium jade and hard sodium jade, and some people classify it as "83 kinds of jade" in the classification of "species".
The petrological name of Basanyu is "Erosion Emerald". It has semi-automorphic-heteromorphic granular crystal structure, fibrous crystal structure, banded structure, fracture structure, fracture structure, mylonite structure and breccia structure. Jade minerals have obvious extrusion, deformation, undulation and recrystallization. The crystal size of jadeite minerals is generally above 1mm, and the maximum measured value is 4 mm. The crystal size of jadeite minerals after crushing and grinding is generally above 0.01mm. 2. Hetian jade
It is distributed in Hotan-Khotan shache-Tashkurgan, Qiemo County, Xinjiang, and on the northern slope of Kunlun Mountain, stretching for 1500 km. * * * There are nine producing areas. The mineral composition of Hetian jade is mainly tremolite-actinolite. It also contains trace diopside, serpentine, graphite, magnets and other minerals. Form different colors such as white, turquoise, black and yellow. Most of them are monochromatic jade, and a few have variegated colors. Jade is translucent, shiny and greasy after polishing, with a hardness of 5.5 to 6.5 degrees. Hetian jade is sandwiched between rocks at an altitude of 3,500 to 5,000 meters. After long-term weathering, it was stripped into pieces of different sizes, collapsed on the hillside and washed into the river by rain. When the river dries up in autumn, the jade pieces collected in the river bed are called seed jade, and those mined in the rock stratum are called mountain materials. The earliest Hetian jade has been found from Fu Hao's tomb in Yin Ruins. After the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Hetian jade gradually became the main jade material, and it was not until the Qing Dynasty that the mountain material was mined. Dayu was made during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty to control the water in Yushan. Sapphire weighs 10700 kilograms and is taken from Mileta Mountain.
The economic value of Hetian jade is evaluated according to the purity of color and texture. Its main varieties are:
1) white jade: containing tremolite above 95%, with white color, pure and delicate texture, moist and shiny. It is a high-quality variety of Hetian jade. During the prosperous period of jade-making in Han, Song and Qing dynasties, great attention was paid to the selection of materials, and high-quality white jade was often carved into "heavy objects".
2) Sheep fat white jade: the top grade of white jade, pure and delicate in texture, containing tremolite as high as 99%, and white as fine as jelly. Jade with the same weight has several times the economic value of white jade. During the Qianlong period of Han Dynasty, Song Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, sheep fat white jade was highly respected.
3) Blue and white jade: There is no obvious difference between the texture and white jade, but the jade color is white with a hint of turquoise, which is the third-class jade in Hetian jade, and its economic value is slightly lower than that of white jade.
4) Sapphire: Light blue, turquoise and gray are all called sapphires, with uniform color and delicate texture, including tremolite 89% and actinolite 6%. It has a greasy luster. Rich in reserves, it is the main variety of jade collected or mined in past dynasties.
3. Nanyang Valley
Nanyang Yu mining area is located in Dushan, also known as "dushan jade" and "Duyu". Nanyang jade is plagioclase jade with fine and pure texture, oily or glassy luster, good polishing performance, and transparent or slightly transparent. The hardness is 5.5 to 6.5 degrees. Nanyang jade is a colorful jade. Generally, multicolored jade composed of two or more colors is brightly colored, which is called: water white jade, white jade, black and white jade, green jade, green white jade, azure jade, jadeite jade, purple jade, bright brown jade, topaz, topaz, jet jade and variegated jade. Nanyang jade mining has a long history. The Neolithic Longshan culture unearthed in Shenmu, Shaanxi Province, the Yin Ruins jade unearthed in 1952, and the jade unearthed in 1976, all have examples of Nanyang jade as jade materials. The jade pots of the Yuan Dynasty now displayed in Beihai and Yuanmingyuan are also made of Nanyang jade carvings. According to the literature, Nanyang jade was exploited in the Han Dynasty. There are more than 1000 ancient jade mining pits in Dushan so far, which shows that Nanyang jade mining has a long history and a huge scale. Nanyang jade is rich in reserves and can still be produced on a large scale.
4. lantian jade
Produced in Lantian, hence the name. Lantian jade is one of the main famous jade in ancient times. Lantian jade has fine texture, hardness of about 4, and good processability. Its colors are mainly beige and apple green. Widely used in making jade pillows, fitness balls, tea sets, wine sets, etc. It is a popular low-grade jade material. 5. xiuyu
Produced in Xiuyan County, Liaoning Province, also known as xiuyan jade.
Xiuyan jade belongs to serpentine jade with various colors, mainly light green, yellow, white and brown, with delicate texture, greasy or waxy luster and translucency.
Jade is found from time to time in Hongshan Culture and Liangzhu cultural jade articles, which shows that it has a long history of application. Because of its bright color, low hardness and good machinability, xiuyan jade is often listed as the first choice for making large-scale jade carving seats and small and medium-sized display jade. It is also widely used to make various small ornaments and handicrafts such as figures and animals.
In Liaoning, it belongs to serpentine jade with jade, and there are the following varieties in China:
South Jade: referred to as "South Jade", produced in Xinyi, Guangdong Province, so it is also called "Xinyi Jade", with dark green to green color, low transparency and heavy wax texture. For low-grade jade carving raw materials, it is generally used to make large jade carving ornaments.
② Qi Lianyu: Also known as "Jiuquan Jade" and "Jiuquan Jade", it is dark green in color, with black spots, blocks and bands, translucent and poor in quality.
③ Kunlun jade: also known as "Kunlun jade", the jade is very similar to Liaoning jade, but the transparency is poor. Produced in the foothills of Kunlun Mountain in Xinjiang.
④ Beijing topaz: Also known as "Beijing topaz", the color is light yellow to yellow. Produced in the old military hall of Ming Tombs in Beijing.
⑤ Junan Jade: Also known as "Junan Jade", it is dark green in color and produced in Junan County, Shandong Province.
⑥ Yunnan jade: Also known as "Yunnan jade", it is green in color and often contains chlorite.
6. Jiuquan Jade
It is produced in Qilian Mountain, Gansu Province, because it is also the city of Qilian jade. It belongs to serpentine jade. Translucent, mostly green, with even black spots. The hardness is 4.5 degrees to 5 degrees. The mining history of Jiuquan jade can be traced back to the Neolithic Age, and the exquisite jade of Qijia culture unearthed from the site of Niangniangtai in Wuwei is Jiuquan jade.