Lapidaryforum.net

Let's Rock => Rockhounding Tips, Maps, Trips Etc. => Topic started by: Allen on February 16, 2017, 10:28:13 PM

Title: Gemstones from Taiwon and Okinawa
Post by: Allen on February 16, 2017, 10:28:13 PM

Latter this year I hope to visit both of these countries.

Collecting stone from visited countries adds to the pleasure. I expect to be purchasing the material not finding it.

This forum has a great range of personnel, do we have anyone with knowledge of these locations? 

Title: Re: Gemstones from Taiwon and Okinawa
Post by: lithicbeads on February 18, 2017, 08:41:54 PM

Okinowa is famous for it cemetaries and pottery and the warm exotic climate. Taiwan is very mountainous and the only lapidary material I am aware of in either was catseye jade from Taiwan. The jade was very valuable but was mined far underground and expensive to mine. They used dynamite on the deposit and like so many others the results were a catastrophe, lots of cracked jade.

Title: Re: Gemstones from Taiwon and Okinawa
Post by: gemfeller on February 18, 2017, 10:16:59 PM

There used to be lots of Taiwanese nephrite jade on the market.  I still have a few cut stones.  As to the source I have no information.  Maybe it came from the deposit mentioned by Lithicbeads but I never saw any chatoyant ones.  The material had decent color tending toward slightly yellowish-green, and was mostly translucent at best.  I can post an image if there's interest.