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Gemstone Crystal System Density Hardness Refractive index Treatments
Maw Sit Sit
rock, composed of several minerals 2.5 - 3.5 6 - 7 1.52 - 1.74 dying

Color:
L ight green to black, monochrome, mottled or spotted, frequently with black spots or white spots and veinlets

Durability:
Fair to poor. It is not recommended that Maw Sit Sit be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner, or exposed to temperature extremes. It is also recommended that care be taken in wearing Maw Sit Sit because its hardness or durability is directly affected by the proportion and composition of the above minerals.

Localities:
Myanmar (Burma)


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Maw Sit Sit

(metamorphic rock with a
complex composition)

Maw Sit Sit was first identified by Swiss Gemologist Eduard Gubelin in 1963 in a town by the same name in Burma. This material is found where Imperial Jadeite is mined. Maw-sit-sit is an aggregate of numerous minerals found in the famous jade mining region of Tawmaw in the Himalayan foothills of northwestern Burma. The six main components are:
Chromite, ureyite, chrome-jadeite, symplektite, chrome amphibole, and a matrix of lighter minerals.
This material is opaque to translucent with flowing veins of green and black. The matrix is dark green to black in color. Veins that are emerald green to intense neon green have occurred.

 

The following books are my recommendations for further study.
They are some of the best available.
If you would like a larger selection, please visit the Book Shop.

cover
cover

Jade (Fred Ward Gem Book Series)
by Fred Ward

Jade
by Louis Zara

Jade
by Fred Ward

Jades from China
by Angus Forsyth

Jade
by Roger Keverne (Editor)

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