AllMineralsRock
Jade Vs. Vesuvianite
Jade is a very popular gemstone composed of sodium aluminum silicate.[1] Vesuvianite is a popular mineral and its chemical composition is calcium magnesium aluminum silicate.[2]
Quick Facts on Differences of Jade and Vesuvianite
For a quick recap of the differences jade and vesuvianite:- While both jade and vesuvianite can be opaque or translucent, vesuvianite can be transparent.
- In terms of crystallography, jade is monoclinic while vesuvianite is tetragonal.
- For chemical formulas, jade is NaAlSi2O6 while vesuvianite is Ca10Mg2Al4(SiO4)5(Si2O7)2(OH)4.
- While both jade and vesuvianite can be vitreous, in terms of luster, jade can be waxy and vesuvianite can be resinous.
- While both jade and vesuvianite can be commonly green, vesuvianite is often black or pink.
Quick Facts on Similarities of Jade and Vesuvianite
The similarities of jade and vesuvianite include:- Jade and vesuvianite both streak white.
- Jade's rarity is similar to vesuvianite.
- Jade's hardness overlaps with vesuvianite - jade ranges from 6 to 7 and vesuvianite is 6.5 on the Moh's scale.
Summary of Jade
Jade is a mineral that has been highly valued for thousands of years across many cultures. It is a compact, dense stone that is tough and durable, making it ideal for carving and jewelry making. Jade comes in a variety of colors, including green, white, brown, and black, and can be translucent or opaque.Summary of Vesuvianite
Vesuvianite is a mineral that is also known as idocrase. It is a silicate mineral that is typically green, yellow, brown, or blue. Vesuvianite is commonly found in metamorphic rocks such as skarns, marble, and quartzite. It is often associated with other minerals such as garnet, diopside, and wollastonite.Table Comparison of Jade vs Vesuvianite
| Jade (src) | Vesuvianite (src) | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | translucent, opaque | transparent, translucent, opaque |
| Chemical Formula | NaAlSi2O6 | Ca10Mg2Al4(SiO4)5(Si2O7)2(OH)4 |
| Chemical Composition | sodium aluminum silicate | calcium magnesium aluminum silicate |
| Hardness | 6, 7 | 6.5 |
| Streak | white | white |
| Crystallography | monoclinic | tetragonal |
| Hydrous | No | No |
| Colors | common: green sometimes: red less common: blue, gray, pink, black, brown, white, orange, purple, yellow, band, multicolor |
common: green, pink, black sometimes: red, blue, brown, white, purple less common: orange, violet, yellow, colorless, multicolor |
| Birefringence | δ = 0.020 - 0.027 | δ = 0.004–0.006 |