Afghanistan jade has almost disappeared in Hetian jade market in recent years. However, in the past, afghanistan jade was known as Hetian jade killer, and was even once regarded as the body double of suet white jade.

Afghanistan jade, also called Ayu, actually belongs to a kind of stone, mainly composed of calcite, so it is also called calcite jade.

According to the local jade research report of GIG, afghanistan jade is metamorphic rock, which was formed by regional metamorphism or contact metamorphism of carbonate rocks. This kind of beautiful stone is mainly composed of calcite and dolomite, and also contains wollastonite, talc, tremolite, diopside, plagioclase, Yingshi, periclase and so on. It has granular metamorphic structure and block (sometimes strip) structure, and its Mohs hardness is between 4.0 and 5.0.

The hardness of this kind of afghanistan jade is not high, but because it is very similar to Hetian jade, it was often impersonated in the past.

The real afghanistan jade comes from the Alps. 10 years ago, most of the afghanistan jade circulating in the domestic market came from Afghan and Turkish. However, with the frequent wars, most Afghan jade mines were forced to close, which led to the occupation of China's market share by Turkish and Iranian carbonate jade.

In fact, not all carbonate jade can be called afghanistan jade. Domestic jewelers only agree with metamorphic rocks that are naturally exposed outside the mountain and have been exposed to the scorching sun for hundreds of millions of years without losing moisture and luster, because only this kind of carbonate jade has the external characteristics of "color like congealing fat, oily luster, clean connotation, heavy and moist".

This is afghanistan jade. The original stone is more like stone than Hetian jade.

Of course, some finished products are very similar to Hetian jade, including some appraisal projects, and afghanistan jade can often be seen. Like some Afghan jade products, there are many in the market, which look very tall, but in fact they can only be regarded as handicrafts, and as a simple decoration, they are of little value.

At first, there were many imitations of afghanistan jade, but later, afghanistan jade has evolved into a white stone. People are used to calling jade tools with insufficient hardness, jade-like appearance and rough luster as afghanistan jade.

But up to now, afghanistan jade can only be seen in some tourist places, all of which are fooling people who don't understand jade at all. But because it is very different from Hetian jade, it is not difficult to tell.