Jade is a generic name used to describe two different varieties of a similar material. One is nephrite jade, the other jadeite.
Nephrite jade is composed of the minerals actinolite and tremolite.
Although nephrite jade contains minerals that can be asbestos in their fibrous forms, it's not considered an asbestos mineral and is entirely safe to handle.
Jadeite is composed mostly of the mineral jadeite.
Both varieties are extremely tough due to their tightly interlocking crystal structure. Nephrite jade is the slightly tougher of the two.
In geology, toughness is not the same as hardness. Hardness refers to the resistance of one mineral to being scratched by another, while toughness refers to a mineral's resistance to being crushed, chipped, or broken.
Jade has significant cultural and historical value in many civilizations but particularly in China. It has long been associated with purity, wisdom and harmony.
IOLITE
