On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Commercial / trade name · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Dabieshan Yu
A quartzose jade trade name in GB/T 34098-2017 Annex A Table A.1, grouped in one merged cell with other trade names and not matched to any single basic name (quartzose jade, quartzite jade, chalcedony, agate or jasper). It contains the place name Dabieshan; GB/T 34098 does not say whether this implies origin.
This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from. Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Dabieshan Yu forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale, each finding graded and sourced
- Caring for and wearing Dabieshan YuDurability indicators and wearing advice
- Hardness, density and refractive index of Dabieshan YuEach value with its source and check date
- Dabieshan Yu in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Has any of GIA, FTC, CIBJO or Gem-A put a name for it on record here?
- Name origin and history of Dabieshan YuWhere the name comes from
- Listing and disclosing Dabieshan YuThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Dabieshan Yu is a locality-based trade name for quartzose jade from the Dabie Mountains region; its parent material is quartz/chalcedony (SiO2). Quartz is an extraordinarily widespread mineral: it appears in hydrothermal veins ranging from epithermal to alpine type, is a characteristic mineral of granites and granite pegmatites, and occurs in sandstones, quartzites and carbonate rocks, and is residual in soils and sediments; in many rocks it also occurs as cryptocrystalline chalcedony. A quartzose jade body is built by the deposition of such siliceous fluids or the aggregation of cryptocrystalline quartz, which the name alone cannot establish.
Scope: Applies to the origin of the underlying material of the quartzose jade (quartz / chalcedony) referred to by the origin trade name 'Dabieshan Yu'; does not constitute an identification conclusion for a specific sample or locality.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy · GIA Jade Description
Where it forms
Multiple settings: hydrothermal veins (epithermal to alpine), granites and granite pegmatites, sandstones and quartzites, carbonate rocks, and soils/sediments as a residual mineral
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
How it forms, step by step
Silica-bearing fluids migrate through hydrothermal veins or rock pore space.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Silica precipitates in fractures, cavities, or between grains, or forms cryptocrystalline quartz (chalcedony).
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Quartz continues to crystallize in granitic/pegmatitic settings, or is enriched as a residual mineral during weathering.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Link to appearance
The semi-translucent massive look depends on whether the silica is cryptocrystalline (chalcedony) or macrocrystalline and on its aggregate structure; quartz color can come from chemical or particulate inclusions, not from the name.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy · GIA Jade Description
Timescale
The sources give no absolute age for Dabieshan Yu or its parent material.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy · GIA Jade Description
Related base materials
- Quartzose jade (quartz/chalcedony): Dabieshan yu is a trade name for quartzose jade named after its origin (the Dabie Mountains area); the underlying material is quartz/chalcedony (SiO2), not an independent mineral species.
Supporting findings
Quartz can form by the precipitation and accumulation of silica-bearing fluids or as cryptocrystalline quartz (chalcedony), and is an extraordinarily widespread mineral.
Evidence grade BScope: Generic formation of the parent material (quartz/chalcedony); not unique to the name Dabieshan Yu, and not about the Dabie tectonic setting.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Quartz occurs in hydrothermal veins (epithermal to alpine) and in sandstones, quartzites, and carbonate rocks, and is a residual mineral in soils and sediments.
Evidence grade BScope: Generic occurrence of quartz; not the occurrence of any specific Dabieshan Yu locality.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Asia
- Dabie Mountains, ChinaSource names only the Dabie Mountains
Sources Journal of Gems & Gemmology (Dai et al.)
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Where the name comes from
The origin of the locality trade name "Dabieshan Yu" itself is not given in the cited sources. The etymology below belongs to the underlying mineral quartz: its name is of obscure origin in the Middle Ages, first applied to gangue in Saxony, Germany. This etymology belongs to the underlying mineral, not to the name "Dabieshan Yu" itself.
Evidence grade BScope: The etymology explains only the origin of the name; it does not establish the material's composition, locality, naturalness, or treatment.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Other research findings
The parent material of quartzose jade is silicon dioxide (SiO2), which may contain traces of other elements.
Evidence grade BScope: Parent-material composition; makes no assertion about a specific specimen's trace elements.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Dabieshan Yu is a locality/trade name and does not constitute an independent mineral or material identity; the word 'jade' has historically been misapplied to many jade-like materials.
Evidence grade BScope: Distinguishes the name from material identity; not specimen identification or provenance.
Sources GIA Jade Description
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- GB/T 34098-2017 and GB/T 16552-2017 are recommended (non-mandatory) national standards whose full text is not freely obtainable; the official free preview does not cover them. This record could not verify their clause text, so it makes no assertion about the specific classification, entry, or table position of this locality trade name in those standards.
- The sources give no absolute age for Dabieshan Yu or its parent material, and do not address any specific Dabie-region tectonic control on quartzose jade.
- Quartz occurrence and composition mechanisms are generic parent-material facts; the sources do not attest a Dabieshan Yu locality or specimen specifically.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Quartzose jade (trade name: Dabieshan Yu)
GB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1, §6 b) · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 4.2.3.3
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
"Dabieshan Yu" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Trade name rather than a mineralogical species name. Actual material is unverified.
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Quartzose jade (trade name: Dabieshan Yu)" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- This entry's exact material identity is not fully settled.
- See “Disclosure and cautions” above
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-26
Trade-name ruling
- Trade name rather than a mineralogical species name.
- Actual material is unverified.
- Suggested listing name
- Quartzose jade (trade name: Dabieshan Yu)
Care and wear
No institutional care guidance is registered for this material yet; below are its durability indicators and general guidance.
Durability and wearing
Numbers in curly braces, such as {111}, are crystallographic face symbols (Miller indices): each marks a set of crystal faces or cleavage planes. They are reproduced as written in the cited source.
Toughness
tough when massive
Cleavage
Cleavage very rarely observable; poor on {1011}, {0111}, {1010} and others; rhombohedral parting
Daily wear
Hardness 7 resists scratching by ordinary metal and grit, and massive material has good toughness, so it is relatively durable for daily wear; however a hard impact can still chip it, and sudden temperature changes should be avoided to prevent cracking.
Care
Warm water with mild soap and a soft brush suffices; rinse and dry with a soft cloth. For dyed, resin-impregnated or fractured treated material, avoid ultrasonic/steam cleaning and acid washes, and avoid prolonged heat or sunlight.
General guidance: LumaLark's general guidance inferred from the material's properties (hardness, toughness, cleavage); not text from the cited source, and not a guarantee for any specific piece.
Scope: This field describes the material's general properties and is not a finished-product durability promise; it gives no warranty of any specific piece's durability or safety, and the durability of treated (filled, dyed, coated) or composite/assembled material must be assessed separately.
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Trade and mineralogical namesDabieshan Yu is a trade name for quartzose jade listed in GB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1 and should not be used on its own; Table A.1 places Dabieshan Yu in a merged cell together with quartzite jade, chalcedony, agate and jasper, and the original does not say which of these is the basic name, so the basic name must first be determined by identification, followed by the note "trade name: Dabieshan Yu". Recommended listing nameThe suggested listing name is quartzose jade (trade name: Dabieshan Yu). Names in four languagesNames are given in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Dabieshan Yu) and Japanese (to be checked); the Japanese name is the entry's own, and the wording used by GSJ (Japan) for this name is not yet verified by this site. Institution usageAmong GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A, the FTC and CIBJO texts contain no wording for this name (checked), while GIA and Gem-A are unchecked; bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, Dabieshan Yu, which does not represent their position. Trade and mineralogical namesThe English description given in GB/T 34098 Table A.1 means quartzose jade sold under the trade name Dabieshan Yu.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- 大別山玉（待核） (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Trade name listed in the GB/T standard (not used on its own)
- 大别山玉 (GB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1; basic name not specified in the original — identify the material first)
- Mineralogical name
- Quartzose jade sold under the trade name Dabieshan Yu (GB/T 34098 Table A.1)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 大别山玉
- 繁體中文
- 大別山玉
- English
- Dabieshan Yu
- 日本語
- 大別山玉（待核）
GB/T 34098 trade names
- Position in Table A.1
- 大别山玉 Dabieshan Yu sits in the cell shared by quartzite jade, chalcedony, agate and jasper; the original does not say which one
- How to name it
- The original gives no basic name: identify the material first, then add the note “trade name: 大别山玉 Dabieshan Yu”
The full table and naming rule are on the Quartzose Jade page.
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Quartz and chalcedony materials
- Identity tier
- Commercial / trade name
- Mineral chemical class
- Silicates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
What it is and how it's identified
Among the registered material facts for Dabieshan Yu, whole-class features such as chemical composition are registered in the cited clause for quartzose jade as a whole class and are not listed again under Dabieshan Yu; see the material facts on the Quartzose Jade entry. The Mohs hardness of 6–7, density of 2.53–2.72 g/cm³ and refractive index of 1.53–1.55 for Dabieshan Yu are class values written by the cited clause for quartzose jade as a whole class, not measurements of Dabieshan Yu alone. GB/T 34098—2017 also notes that the Mohs hardness registered for the whole quartzose jade class can sometimes fall below 6–7, to as low as 5.5, and the density can sometimes fall outside 2.53–2.72 g/cm³, as low as 2.48 g/cm³ or as high as 2.95 g/cm³. This site notes that hardness alone does not amount to any everyday wearing advice, and that the registered density is the main range and cannot be used as a threshold for establishing the material's identity.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Chemical composition: these whole-class features are given in the cited clause for quartzose jade (the whole class), so they are not repeated on the Dabieshan Yu page; see the material facts on the Quartzose Jade entry.
Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Dabieshan Yu (how to read class-level values).
Durability
Dabieshan Yu — Mohs hardness: 6–7
GB/T 34098—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- quartzose jade (the whole class)
- Qualification
GB/T 34098-2017 §3.1 notes that hardness may sometimes fall to 5.5. Hardness alone does not support any everyday-wear advice.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 34098—2017 Quartzose jade — Classification and nomenclature (GB/T): §3.1 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Physical properties
Dabieshan Yu — density: 2.53–2.72 g/cm³
GB/T 34098—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- quartzose jade (the whole class)
- Qualification
GB/T 34098-2017 §3.1 notes that values may sometimes fall to 2.48 or rise to 2.95 g/cm³. The registered range is the main range, not a cut-off for identifying the material.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 34098—2017 Quartzose jade — Classification and nomenclature (GB/T): §3.1 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Optical
Dabieshan Yu — refractive index: 1.53–1.55
GB/T 34098—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- quartzose jade (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 34098—2017 Quartzose jade — Classification and nomenclature (GB/T): §3.1 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.54 / 2.62; Closest values: 1Charoite 1.554 / 2.66, 2Changhua Stone 1.56 / 2.6, 3Balin Stone 1.56 / 2.55, 4Shoushan Stone 1.56 / 2.7, 5Bamboo Coral 1.57 / 2.65
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. Gemmological Laboratories Book (Blue Book), Gemmological Commission 2024-1.
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. The Gemstone Book (Blue Book), 2022.
- AQSIQ / SAC (China). GB/T 34098—2017 Quartzose jade — Classification and nomenclature.
- SAMR / SAC (China). GB/T 16552—2017 Gems — Nomenclature.
- eCFR (United States). 16 CFR Part 23 — Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries.
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
Related-entry tree for Quartz on this site: 74 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Dabieshan Yu) is marked.
- Quartz
Sub-entries (57)
- Agate
Sub-entries (1)
- Amethyst
- Ametrine
- Aventurine Quartz
- Aventurine Quartz / Green Aventurine
- Banded Agate
- Black Agate
- Bloodstone / Heliotrope
- Blue Lace Agate
- Carnelian
- Chalcedony
Sub-entries (2)
- Chrysoprase
- Citrine
- Clear Quartz / Rock Crystal
- Coated Quartz
- Colourless to White Quartz (brand name: Azeztulite)
- Crazy Lace Agate
- Dendritic Agate
- Dyed Agate (Treated: dyed)
- Elestial Quartz / Skeletal Quartz
- Eye Agate
- Flower Agate / Cherry Blossom Agate
- Green Quartz
- High-clarity quartz with golden needle-like inclusions
- Included Quartz
- Jasper
Sub-entries (1)
- Madeira Citrine
- Malachite Agate
- Morion / very dark Smoky Quartz
- Moss Agate
- Moss Chalcedony
- Multi-inclusion Quartz
- Onyx (banded chalcedony)
- Phantom Quartz
- Prase
- Prasiolite / Green Quartz
- Quartz Cat’s-eye
- Quartz claimed to be from the Himalayas
- Quartz Crystal
- Quartz with dark needle-like inclusions
- Quartz with fine fibrous inclusions
- Quartz with flower-like inclusions
- Quartz with golden needle-like inclusions
- Quartz with green needle-like inclusions
- Quartzite Jade
- Quartzose Jade
Sub-entries (9)
- Red Agate
- Rock Crystal
- Rose Quartz
- Rutilated Quartz
- Sard
- Sardonyx
- Silicified Asbestos
Sub-entries (2)
- Hawk’s Eye
- Tiger’s Eye
Sub-entries (1)
- Smoky Quartz
- Smoky Quartz (brown variety)
- Strawberry Quartz
- Yellow-green Quartz
- Agate
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Quartz and chalcedony materials | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Dabieshan Yu entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.