Where is jade mined and how is it used?

Nephrite is a very famous stone in the masses. Most people associate it with jewelry. But also various crafts and even luxury items are made from it. And about his healing properties, in general, they make up legends. But more about that later, but for now let's understand its nature of origin and some features.

Nephrite is a natural mineral formed by the solidification of magma inside the serpentine rocks. If you look at the jade from the inside, you can see that it is a kind of lattice of crystalline fibers. Such a structure gives the stone a special strength that can be compared with the strength of steel, for which it is valued all over the world. This mineral does not react to acids, practically does not melt at high temperatures, does not scratch, but lends itself well to processing and polishing.

In nature, this mineral is usually found in the form of huge boulders. Natural untreated jade is most often an opaque mass with an implicit sheen.

Stones with a uniform color and a high degree of x-ray. Minerals of several colors are usually referred to this group.

• Whites - on snow-boiled background, there are implicit bluish-yellow or green streaks with a smooth flow of one shade to another.
• Plain green - They are the most valued by jewelers and most often used in jewelery.
• Plain gray jade combines several shades of gray from light to dark tones. Such patterns are quite rare.
• Gray-green stones as if covered with mud. With the dominant gray there are small hints of green.

They are obtained due to the uneven distribution of impurities in their composition. This group is divided into the following subgroups:

• tobacco - a mixture of gray with brown and green;
• gray blue;
• dark green;
• bluish green;
• fine-spotted - has spots of implicitly expressed color with an abundance of white, gray and green spots of different color intensity.

These are stones, in the texture of which there are impurities of chlorite and minerals from the group of ore.

Since the nugget is of volcanic origin, its deposits are possible in those places where volcanic magma has frozen. Jade particles can be found in various rocks - for example, in marble or slate. It is mined in stone quarries, as well as in the mouths of large rivers and small streams. At the same time, "water" minerals are considered more durable, therefore, they are valued higher. In nature, deposits of jade are found on every continent of the earth.

It is believed that first began mining jade in China. However, at the end of the 18th century, large deposits of stone were discovered in Myanmar (Burma). A little later, it began to be mined in the United States. Even later, natural resources of jade were found in other countries around the world. This has increased competition among manufacturers.

By the end of the 20th century, reserves of stone in China began to run down. And since jade is considered a national symbol in this country, today the country is a major exporter of this mineral from other countries, such as Australia, Canada, USA, Kazakhstan and, of course, Russia. In addition, jade is exported from some Asian countries, such as Taiwan, and European countries - Italy, Germany, and Sweden. It is also known about the deposits of jade in British Columbia, Polynesia and the Pamirs.

In Russia there are 16 districts with large deposits of jade. But most often at the mention of this rock they recall about the deposits located in Buryatia. It is deservedly called a storehouse of semi-precious stones: of the total number of mining sites, 13 deposits are located precisely in Buryatia. The main deposits of the nugget are located in several places of the republic: these are the Baunt, Bratsk, Zakamensky, Muya, Okinsky and Tunkinsky districts. On the border of the republic with Transbaikalia, reserves of jade of rare colors, such as white, blue and red, are explored. On the territory of Russia - this is the only place where minerals of similar color are found.

One of the most famous industrial areas of Buryatia is the Ospinskoye field. It is located in Southern Siberia, more precisely, in the system of the East Sayan mountain complex. Jade deposits are found here at the mouth of the Ilchir River, a tributary of the larger Onot River. Production is located near the village of Kyren, Irkutsk region. Here, 17 jade veins of green color of different shades are explored, of which 7 are currently working. Here a rare stone with a “cat's eye” pattern is mined. Such stones are rare and are in high demand in Europe and around the world. It is known that at present the Ospinskoe deposit is on the verge of depletion.

Another famous jade deposit is Ulan-Khodinskoye. It is located on the ridge of Ulan-Khod and at the mouth of the Khara-Zhalga river. Here explored 21 jade veins. The local mineral has juicy bright green hues, slightly shining in thin chips. The stones from this area do not contain foreign inclusions, with the exception of individual particles of the group of spinel minerals.

The Kovykta deposit is located in the Zabaykalsky region in the Bauntovsky district. It was discovered in 1984. Currently, two explored areas are known: it is Transparent and Bear.

On the territory of the Republic of Buryatia, there are deposits that are insufficiently explored due to the fact that there is no normal road. Some remote corners can be reached only by helicopter, and transporting them to the “Greater Land”, as it is here called the continental part of the terrain, is feasible only in winter, when the rivers are covered with a strong layer of ice.

Adverse climatic conditions also create certain difficulties in the extraction of minerals. Therefore, at the level of the government of the country, it was decided on the construction of a jade processing center in Ulan-Ude. The plant is engaged in sorting and processing of raw materials before subsequent sale. From low-grade minerals, which previously went to waste, here are made various crafts and household items.

The production is equipped with the most modern equipment, and the staff is trained by the best Chinese masters. There is a jade museum on the territory of the enterprise, and guided tours for those who want to learn how they work with this amazing stone lead to the factory itself.

Separate manifestations of the mineral are noted in the Urals. In particular, in the Chelyabinsk region there are reserves of nephrite, stained with another mineral - chromium alloy or green garnet (uvarovite). From a scientific point of view, such stones are of great interest, but the mass production of jade in this area has not yet been established. There are several reasons for this.

• In nature, there are stones weighing several tons, and jade itself has a high viscosity, so they are difficult to process.
• Almost all deposits of gems are in hard to reach places. It is difficult to get close to them, and it is difficult to deliver special equipment for processing jade there.

However, despite all the difficulties exploration of new deposits of the nugget continues constantly. Thus, already in the 21st century, the Khoyty deposit of jade, located on the Tsipa River, and the Udokan deposit at the mouth of the Kalar River were discovered.

The scope of application of this nugget is very diverse. In the distant past, people valued the mineral for its special strength and made weapons of it - spears, arrowheads, and other military attributes. In the modern world, jade is most often used as an insert in jewelry. Rings, bracelets and jewelery, which can be either carved or carefully polished, are made of solid pieces of high-grade stone. Such decorations are usually given as a talisman - it is believed that this breed has magical power and brings good luck.

Scientifically proven therapeutic properties of jade. Even in ancient times, various powders and ointments were made from it. Modern scientists have noted the healing effects of the mineral on the urogenital system. With constant wear of the product with a jade insert on the body in humans, the pressure is normalized, the work of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems is improved.

Doctors recommend regularly visiting saunas, where jade heaters are installed. This pair has a therapeutic effect on the human body. It has a positive effect on the condition of the skin, keeping it in good shape for a long time, improves metabolism, helping to lose a few extra pounds. A visit to such a steam room is recommended to relieve chronic fatigue and stress, as well as kidney problems. In addition, the constant proximity of the gem with wood also favorably affects its shelf life. The stone is not afraid of high temperatures, is insensitive to their sudden changes, keeps warm for a long time when heated, allowing you to save on fuel for stoves and fireplaces.

In China, this mineral enjoys a special honor and respect - there it is valued on a par with gold, and sometimes above it. During the wedding ceremony, newlyweds decided to give objects of jade: pens, perfume bottles, stationery, musical instruments, jewelry boxes, powder boxes, snuff boxes, cups, glasses and other souvenirs - this is the best way for the marriage to express their wishes for welfare and prosperity.

Jade possesses antiseptic propertiestherefore, in China, until the invention of porcelain, all the dishes were made from it. The pool, the walls of which are decorated with this stone, rarely needs to be cleaned and changed the water - it remains clean longer.

Jade is an excellent building and finishing material. Due to the variety of colors and originality of the internal pattern, it is often used for exterior and interior decoration of concert halls, palaces of creativity, fountains and private residences.

How to distinguish real jade from fake, see the following video.