2. Shwelu is
a light green jadeite, with spots and streaks and is next to Mya Yay.
These two varieties are used for cutting jewellery, e.g. rings,
necklaces, pendants, etc.
3. Lat-Yay is clouded jadeite and is used for making bracelets, buttons, hatpins, ornaments, drinking cups, etc.
4. Hmaw sit sit—a dark green and soft variety, used in making cheaper jewellery.
5. Konpi—the red or brownish variety which is not found at Tawmaw.
6. Kyauk atha—white and translucen tjadeite, used in making bracelets, stems of pipes, plates, spoons, etc.
7. Pantha—white and translucent, but opaque to some extent, which is considered a defect. It is used purely for decorative purposes.
8. Kyauk-ame—the black variety, used for making buttons, bars and brooches.
OCCURRENCE
Nephrite
has been found in China, Turkestan, Siberia, New Zealand and Alaska.
Jade is found in Upper Burma, Yunnan, Tibet, Mexico and South America.
Upper
Burma is the only source of commercial supply of jadeite. It is
obtained from the Uru valley in the Myitkyina district. The Urn chaung
is an important stream, whose banks and small feeders are the sites of
jadeite mining. Tawmaw, one of the chief mining centres, is situated
about 68 miles by road from Mogaung railway station, which lies on the
Sagaing-Myitkyina branch of the Burma Railways. It occurs in dykes of a
metamorphic. rock in a country rock of serpentine. The chief dyke is
found at Tawmaw. Material is also available in a boulder conglomerate
of Tertiary age and from pebbles from the Uru river. The quarries have
been worked for centuries.
The biggest output of jadeite is at Tawmaw, which was discovered about 54 years ago. The length and breadth
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