Gemmological Characteristics of a Quartzite-albite Jade

As a common imitation jadeite, albite jade often forms into jades of different combinations because of its intergrowth with pyroxene group minerals.In this examination, the sample is a new species of albite jade.The author tests it by using conventional gemmological inspection instruments, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS).The results show that the sample is composed of albite and quartzite.The white part of the sample is pure quartztie, and the blue and green parts are albite.As content of quartz is beyond a certain range, so the sample should be named as quartzite-albite jade.In the daily tests, it is worthwhile to be alert in naming samples composed of different kinds of minerals.