This Earthcache brings you to a wonderful example of nephrite jade that was transported over 1100km to be put on display as this magnificent piece of public art, The Eye of the Mountain Bear. I hope you enjoy checking out the fascinating colours of this polished rock. This monument was carved from a jade boulder found near Cry Lake in the Cassiar District in northern BC.
Jade is a commercial term encompassing green, white, black or yellow-brown material that consists of either of two types of rock, each having distinctly different mineral compositions. Jadeite is a pyroxene - a sodium aluminum silicate rock, while nephrite is an amphibole - a calcium magnesium iron silicate rock. Jadeite is rated slightly harder on the Mohs scale of hardness, but nephrite's crystalline structure actually makes it more durable to wear and tear. Subtle differences, to be sure, however, the two minerals have very similar physical properties in the eye of the average person.
Jade in Canada was first identified by Chinese settlers in 1886 in British Columbia, a discovery that went largely unnoticed during the heyday of the Gold Rush. It wasn't until 1972 that the Canadian Jade industry was commercialized by a pair of Californians who began serious mining operations.
Until the 1960s, almost all of the nephrite produced in British Columbia came from secondary deposits (loose rocks and boulders), but as this supply dwindled, the urge to find primary deposits grew. These were found in three main areas of the province: adjacent to the Fraser River area in southern British Columbia, the Mount Ogden area in central British Columbia, and the Cassiar jade fields in the far north. Today, British Columbia is the major supplier for jade carvers in China.
In order to log this Earthcache you must provide answers to the following questions:
1. How much does this boulder weigh?
2. Describe any features that stand out to you (For example, do you see anything that draws attention to the fact that this is nephrite jade and not just another rock?)
3. What year was this sculpture laid in place?
While they are always appreciated, photos are not a requirement for you to log your find.
Please provide your answers these questions in a timely manner, either via email or by messaging the cache owner. Any logs that are not accompanied by correct answers will be deleted.
Thanks for visiting my Earthcache!