Jade

Wyoming State Gemstone

nephriteJadePolishedgemstones.jpg

Nephrite jade polished gemstones

Nephrite jade; polished gemstones rich in color.  Photo by the justified sinner/Flickr (Noncommercial Use Permitted with Attribution/Share Alike).

Official State Gemstone of Wyoming

Wyoming designated jade (nephrite) as the official state gemstone in 1967. Nephrite jade was discovered in Wyoming in the 1930s, which resulted in a "jade rush" that lasted several decades. All State Gemstones

Jade is a compact, opaque gemstone that ranges from dark green to almost white in color. Wyoming's state gemstone is the nephrite variety of jade; polished nephrite has an oily luster.

Wyoming

Images

Deep green nephrite jade; chipped and possibly a native American artifact from Crooks Mountain, Fremont County, Wyoming.   Photo by James St. John/Flickr (use permitted with attribution).

Deep green nephrite jade from Wyoming; chipped and possibly a native American artifact