Where is jade obtained and how is it used?

Jade is a very well-known stone among the masses. Most people associate it with jewelry. But also various crafts and even luxury items are made from it. And about its healing properties, in general, make up legends. But more on that later, but for now let's figure out its nature of origin and some features.

Jade is a natural mineral formed by solidification of magma inside serpentine rocks. If you look at jade from the inside, you can see that it is a kind of lattice of crystalline fibers. This structure gives the stone a special strength that can be compared with the strength of steel, for which it is appreciated 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 raw jade is most often an opaque mass with an implicit sheen.

Stones with a uniform color and a high degree of translucency. It is customary to include minerals of several colors in this group.

• White - on a boiling snowy background, implicit bluish-yellow or green stains are observed with a smooth flow of one shade into another.
• Solid green - they are most appreciated by jewelers and most often used in jewelry.
• Solid gray jade combines several shades of gray from light to dark tones at once. Such samples are quite rare.
• Gray-green stones as if covered with mud. With the dominant gray, there are slight hints of green.

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

• tobacco - a mixture of gray with brown and green;
• gray-blue;
• dark green;
• bluish green;
• small-spotted - has spots of an implicit color with an abundance of white, gray and green spots of varying color intensity.

These are stones, the texture of which contains admixtures of chlorite and minerals from the ore group.

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 such as 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 generally accepted that first started 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. Still later, natural reserves of jade began to be found in other countries around the world. This increased competition among manufacturers.

By the end of the 20th century, stone reserves in China began to deplete. And since in this country jade is considered a national symbol, 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, Sweden. It is also known about deposits of jade in British Columbia, Polynesia and the Pamirs.

On the territory of Russia, there are 16 regions with large deposits of jade. But most often, when mentioning this rock, they recall the deposits located in Buryatia. It is deservedly called the storehouse of gems: out of the total number of mining places, 13 deposits are located precisely in Buryatia. The main deposits of nugget are located in several places of the republic: these are Bauntovsky, Bratsky, Zakamensky, Muisky, Okinsky and Tunkinsky districts. On the border of the republic with Transbaikalia, reserves of jade of rare colors, such as white, blue and red, have been explored. On the territory of Russia, this is the only place where minerals of this color have been found.

One of the most famous industrial regions of Buryatia is the Ospinskoye field. It is located in Southern Siberia, more precisely, in the system of the Eastern Sayan mountain complex. Jade deposits were found here at the mouth of the Ilchir River, a tributary of the larger Onot River. The production is located near the village of Kyren, Irkutsk region. Here 17 green jade veins of various shades have been explored, of which 7 are currently in operation. A rare beauty stone with a "cat's eye" pattern is mined here. Such stones are rare and in high demand in Europe and around the world. It is known that the Ospinskoye field is currently on the verge of depletion.

Another well-known jade deposit is Ulan-Khodinskoe. It is located on the Ulan-Khoda ridge and at the mouth of the Khara-Zhalga river. 21 jade veins have been explored here. The local mineral has juicy bright green hues and is slightly translucent 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 field is located in the Trans-Baikal Territory in the Bauntovsky District. It was discovered in 1984. Currently, there are two explored areas known: Transparent and Medvezhiy.

On the territory of the Republic of Buryatia there are deposits that are not explored enough due to the fact that there is no normal road there. Some remote corners can only be reached by helicopter, and their transfer to the “mainland”, as the mainland is called here, is only possible in winter, when the rivers are covered with a strong layer of ice.

Unfavorable climatic conditions also create certain difficulties in the extraction of minerals. Therefore, at the level of the government of the country, a decision was made on the construction of a jade processing center in Ulan-Ude. The plant is engaged in sorting and processing of raw materials before further sale. Various handicrafts and household items are made here from low-grade minerals that used to be wasted.

The production is equipped with the most modern equipment, and the employees are trained by the best Chinese masters. A jade museum is open on the territory of the enterprise, and tourist excursions are conducted to the factory itself for everyone who wants to learn how they work with this amazing stone.

Separate manifestations of the mineral are noted in the Urals. In particular, in the Chelyabinsk region there are reserves of jade colored with another mineral - chromegrossular or green garnet (uvarovite). From a scientific point of view, such stones are of great interest, however, 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 it is difficult to process them.
• Almost all gem deposits are located in hard-to-reach places. It is difficult to get to them, and it is difficult to deliver special equipment for processing jade there.

However, despite all the difficulties, exploration of new nugget deposits is ongoing... So, already in the 21st century, the Khoyty jade deposit, located on the Tsipa River, was discovered, as well as the Udokan deposit at the mouth of the Kalar River.

The scope of this nugget is very diverse. In the distant past, people appreciated the mineral for its special strength and made weapons from it - spears, arrowheads and other military attributes. In the modern world, jade is most often used as inserts in jewelry. Rings, bracelets and jewelry are made from solid pieces of high-grade stone, which can be either carved cut or carefully polished. It is customary to give such jewelry as a talisman - it is believed that this breed has magical powers and brings good luck.

The medicinal properties of jade have been scientifically proven. Even in ancient times, various powders and ointments were made from it. Modern scientists note the healing effect of the mineral on the genitourinary system. When constantly wearing a product with a jade insert on the body a person's blood pressure normalizes, the work of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems improves.

Doctors recommend regular visits to saunas where jade heaters are installed. This steam 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 for kidney problems. In addition, the constant proximity of the gem to the wood also has a beneficial effect on its shelf life. The stone is not afraid of high temperatures, is insensitive to their sudden changes, when heated, it keeps heat for a long time, allowing you to save on fuel for stoves and fireplaces.

In China, this mineral enjoys special honor and respect - there it is valued on a par with gold, and sometimes even higher. During the wedding ceremony, it is customary for newlyweds to give jade objects: pens, perfume bottles, writing utensils, musical instruments, boxes, powder boxes, snuff boxes, cups, glasses and other souvenirs - this is the best way to express your wishes for well-being and prosperity to the newlyweds.

Jade possesses antiseptic propertiesTherefore, in China, until the invention of porcelain, all tableware was made from it. The pool, the walls of which are finished with this stone, less often needs cleaning and changing the water - it stays clean longer.

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

For information on how to distinguish real jade from fake, see the next video.