Question: what is the difference between jade and nephrite jade?
Answer: As a gemstone, jade can be one of two minerals: jadeite or nephrite. While both are jade, there are significant differences between these minerals. First, jadeite, a pyroxene mineral, has somewhat greater hardness than nephrite, an amphibole mineral. ... On the Mohs scale, jadeite is 6.5-7, while nephrite is 6-6.5.