Composition and distinction of white nephrite from Asian deposits透闪石玉 软玉 和田玉.pdf

N. Jb. Miner. Abh. 190/1, 49–65 Stuttgart, January 2013 Composition and distinction of white nephrite from Asian deposits Xiaoxiao Ling, Esther Schmädicke, Ruihua Wu, Shiqi Wang and Jürgen Gose With 6 figures and 4 tables Abstract: The major and minor element compositions and textures of white nephrite samples from 6 different deposits including Xiaomeiling district (Jiangsu province, China), Luanchuan district (Henan province, China), Hetian district (Xinjiang province, China), Geermu district (Qinghai province, China), Chuncheon district (Korea) and Baikal district (Russia) were investigated by means of optical and electron microscopy and wavelength-dispersive electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). The white nephrites has a similar composition in all samples including high amounts of Si, Mg, Ca, and low Fe contents. Nonetheless, the samples show has the most extreme composition, because it contains considerably more F (average 1.8 wt.%) than all other samples, and also shows the highest Na and K contents. The tremolite of white nephrite N2 from Luanchuan shows the highest Fe content of the sample set. Its Ca content is also comparably high, while Na, K, F, and Al concentrations are below the detection limit. Tremolite of of sample N4 from Geermu has the highest nonstoichiometric Si content (~8.1 Si pfu (per formula unit)) and a relatively high Ca content (~2.0 Ca pfu). Other elements (Na, K, F, and Al) are below or close to the detection limit. The tremolite of Korean sample N5 from Chuncheon can be distinguished on the basis of its low F content (~0.2 wt.%) and its characteristic mosaic texture. Even though sample N6 from Russia has no unique compositional feature that distinguishes it from other samples, it can be distinguished of the most important elements in order to distinguish white nephrite from d