Luodian Jade

Luodian Jade

Luodian Jade is a protected geographical indication product.

Luodian Jade is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　"Luodian Jade" is produced in Luodian County, Guizhou Province. Its chemical composition and jade characteristics are similar to those of nephrite from Hetian in Xinjiang and the Kunlun Mountains in Qinghai, making it a high-quality nephrite deposit. Luodian Jade is primarily mountain material (mountain-origin jade), and can be categorized by color into three types: pure white, grayish-white, and bluish-white. The jade is semi-transparent, with good whiteness, fine texture, and excellent luster. After polishing, it exhibits a greasy sheen, and holds high value for both collection and commerce. It is a rare brand product in Luodian that combines economic, cultural, and artistic significance. To build this brand, Luodian County overcame many challenges including incomplete data, unclear ownership, and departmental misunderstanding. They contacted experts from Beijing and Wuhan to gather necessary information, ensuring the successful application for the "Luodian Jade" geographical indication certification trademark, thereby giving the county a well-known brand.

　　A new member of the Hetian Jade (nephrite) family, Luodian Jade is produced in Luodian County, Guizhou Province, and has gradually become known among nephrite enthusiasts over the past two years, starting to appear on the market.

　　In 2009, during petrological identification research, the Guizhou Geological and Mineral Testing Center Laboratory discovered multiple samples originating from Luodian in Qiannan, Guizhou, containing nephrite primarily composed of tremolite, drawing significant attention from researchers. Research by the laboratory confirmed that this nephrite deposit is the result of contact metamorphism of carbonate minerals, appearing macroscopically as banded and interbedded with marble. The tremolite that makes up the nephrite has fine crystalline grains, appearing fibrous and flaky, with crystals interwoven in radial, clustered, and felted patterns, resulting in a dense structure. The surrounding rock is mainly marble. Preliminary studies indicate that the chemical composition and jade properties of this deposit are similar to those of nephrite from Hetian in Xinjiang and the Kunlun Mountains in Qinghai, classifying it as a high-quality nephrite deposit.

　　Luodian Jade commonly appears as rough stone (mountain-origin jade), with colors ranging from white tinged with gray, some pure white, a small amount of light green, and very little yellow. The market also features a boulder jade weighing about 100 pounds with skin, but its internal color, structure, and smoothness are not visible. Mountain-origin jade is perceived as having good luster but insufficient oiliness, with a somewhat dry surface. Once processed into carved finished products, the whiteness is fairly good, with a bone china-like feel. Transparency is slightly poor but compensated by translucency, and after polishing, it shows an oily feel.

　　Differences between Xinjiang Hetian Jade and Guizhou Nephrite:

　　Same: Over 90% of the chemical composition is tremolite

　　Difference: Physical sensory qualities

　　Although the structure of Luodian Jade is delicate, most material appears dull, somewhat rigid, lacking oily luster, slightly lifeless, and missing vibrancy, resembling porcelain.

　　Xinjiang Hetian Jade, in terms of sensory perception, has a warm texture and an oily luster.