Feicui(Jadeite), a mineral aggregate embodying the essence of heaven and earth, remains ever-new due to the millennium-old codes of civilization it carries.
In China, it is a spiritual object where gentlemen compare virtue; scholars and literati carry the Dao through jade.
In Maya temples, it transformed into sacred ritual vessels for communicating with gods, often used in sacrifices and covered on the golden faces of deity statues.
When these cultural veins settle into the common cultural genes of humanity, jadeite has long surpassed the mineral itself to become a treasure connecting the past and present.
It also nurtures an endless global enthusiasm for jadeite. This charm traversing time and space originates from the gifts of different mineral veins deep within the earth. Do you know what the main production areas of jadeite are?
Myanmar
For nearly two hundred years, Myanmar has been the world's most important jadeite producer, dominating the gem-quality jadeite market. Its main mining areas are concentrated in the Uru River basin of Kachin State in the north, including famous localities such as Hpakant, Hsu Kong, Huika, Dakhan, Muna, and Moxisha. Each locality produces jadeite varieties with different characteristics due to geological differences. Among them, the Hpakant locality is renowned for its fine texture and sufficient transparency.
Myanmar jadeite deposits are divided into primary and secondary deposits. Primary deposits are mainly distributed in the serpentinized peridotite bodies in northern Myanmar. Jadeite from primary deposits has distinct angular edges, no weathered rind, and poor transparency; it is mostly used for processing large jadeite pieces or low-to-medium grade products. Secondary deposits are mainly distributed in the upper reaches of the Uru River basin. Through chemical weathering and erosion by surface water, most have good roundness and a layer of weathered skin. Most gem-quality Myanmar jadeite on the market is produced from secondary deposits.
Myanmar jadeite features rich colors, covering green, red, purple, black, yellow, colorless, etc. From glassy variety to bean variety, jadeites of all textures are produced. Among them, green glassy jadeite is the most precious, especially "Imperial Green" jadeite. Due to its pure and rich color, high saturation, fine and translucent texture, it is regarded as the highest quality among jadeites, worth a fortune. Purple jadeite is also highly favored for its soft and romantic color.
As the "King" in the history of jadeite, Myanmar jadeite carries the common longing of Eastern civilization for "Jade". Although high-quality resources are becoming increasingly scarce and mining and trade are full of uncertainties, the core position of the Myanmar jadeite market is difficult to shake.
In the middle of this year, the Dean of GUILD Gemological Education Institute visited Mandalay, Myanmar, to inspect the local rough stone market and trading conditions. The 4:30 AM morning market was still crowded, filled with rough stone buyers from Myanmar and China. Among them were streamers connecting buyers and sellers via live streaming, showing that the popularity of Myanmar jadeite remains unabated.
Guatemala
Guatemala is the second largest supplier of jadeite raw materials after Myanmar. Its deposits are mainly distributed in the serpentinite mélange on both sides of the Motagua Fault Zone. In recent years, with the improvement in quality and the tight supply of Myanmar material, Guatemalan jadeite's market share in the domestic market has significantly increased, frequently making waves, becoming a dark horse in the jadeite market.
Guatemalan jadeite features rich colors, including green, blue, purple, black, etc. Among them, green is the rarest and most precious variety. From the earliest Yongchu material to the high-color material of recent years, green Guatemalan jadeite has received significant market attention. Currently, the hue, brightness, and saturation of high-color material are extremely similar to Myanmar jadeite, difficult to distinguish by the naked eye alone.
Mainstream products feature blue-green tones and high cost-performance ratios. Common types in the domestic market are divided into Sky Blue, Grayish Blue, and Greenish Blue. The cool texture is deeply loved by young consumers and is often made into bracelets, pendants, and other ornaments. The Olmec people regarded this blue water jadeite as a sacred symbol, often used to make religious artifacts, ornaments, and daily necessities.
Combining this historical background, GUILD introduced the commercial name Olmec Blue to describe blue and blue-green jadeite with relatively high brightness and medium-to-high saturation.
With continuously improving quality, Guatemalan jadeite has occupied a place in the global market. This year, the GUILD inspection team traveled to Guatemala for inspection and sampling, and interviewed local jadeite practitioners.
Practitioners revealed that local geologists estimate that currently only 20% of jadeite mines have been mined, meaning there is still huge potential to be explored. In addition, practitioners also displayed historical data on Guatemalan rough stone exports. The data shows that export volume has increased year by year, with blue jadeite accounting for 70% of the total and green accounting for 5%. Guatemalan jadeite is becoming an important supplement to Myanmar jadeite and, relying on its cool blue water material and rich high-color material, has opened up a unique style track, becoming a "rising star" that cannot be ignored in the jadeite market.
Other Origins
Besides Myanmar and Guatemala, these two main sources of gem-quality jadeite, there are other regions in the world that also produce jadeite. However, the quality, scale, or commercial value is usually relatively low.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's jadeite deposits are mainly distributed east of Balkhash City in the country. The produced jadeite is mostly primary deposits, with colors mainly light green and gray-white.
In July 2025, the GUILD inspection team visited this area for inspection. GUILD President Ruby reported that currently the jadeite ore body in Kazakhstan is very large, but most of the texture is relatively coarse, transparency is low, and it often contains many impurities inside. Only a part can be used for ornament processing; currently, it is mainly used for research or craft processing.
Russia
Russian jadeite is mainly produced in the Western Sayan Mountains region and the Ural Mountains region. The Western Sayan Mountains region has large raw material reserves, but the ore crystal grains are relatively coarse, and most still belong to the low-to-medium grade. Occasionally, green jadeite close to gem quality is produced, but the quantity is extremely small. Market circulation is mainly low-to-medium grade raw materials.
Japan
The main production area of Japanese jadeite is Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture. The jadeite produced here varies in quality and has low yield. Due to quality limitations, it rarely enters the international market.
USA
The jadeite resources in the USA are mainly distributed in California. Its colors are mainly blue-green and gray-green. The texture is coarse, with many cracks, poor transparency, and extremely low yield. Currently, only a small amount circulates as mineral specimens.
Jadeite from these origins, although not forming a mainstream influence in the market, has provided rich samples for global jadeite geological origin research, and also indirectly confirms how stringent geological conditions are required for the formation of high-quality jadeite.
Field inspection sampling and advanced detection technical means are one of the important elements in promoting gem and jadeite research and detection work. The GUILD inspection team will continue to visit multiple jadeite mining areas for sampling, providing a scientific basis for jadeite origin identification. At the same time, it will bring more first-hand information to everyone, helping everyone understand jadeite value and grasp the market pulse.
