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Natural inorganic gem materials · Commercial / trade name · Natural identity; treatment status unknown

Jinsi Yu

Also known asgolden silk jade (not to be used as a name)

A quartzose jade trade name, “Jinsi Yu”, listed in Table A.1 of Annex A of GB/T 34098-2017. The table puts it in one merged cell with other trade names and does not map it to a single basic name: quartzose jade, quartzite jade, chalcedony, agate or jasper.

According to table note a, the trade names listed are not exhaustive. 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.

Edited by RalphReviewed by JuneLast updated 2026-10-12Who maintains this page

What this page can answer

This page covers

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

Jinsi Yu is a trade name for a quartz-dominant jade, whose underlying materials are quartz and cryptocrystalline chalcedony. Quartz crystals commonly fill vugs or fissures in volcanic rocks, precipitating slowly from silica-rich fluids, while chalcedony forms as fibrous microcrystals deposited in layers from the void rim inward, producing banding. Its underlying quartz material therefore forms via hydrothermal precipitation and secondary enrichment; the trade name itself carries no independent genesis.

Scope: Applies to describing the origin of the underlying quartz / chalcedony material of Jinsi Yu; the trade name itself does not constitute an independent mineralogical entity.

Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982 · G&G Fall 2013 +1

Where it forms

Low-temperature silica-rich fluid environments in volcanic vugs, fissures, and hydrothermal veins

Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982 · G&G Fall 2013 +1

Quartz precipitation environments in hydrothermal veins and in granites and granite pegmatites

Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982 · G&G Fall 2013 +1

How it forms, step by step

  1. Silica-rich fluids enter vugs or fissures in volcanic rock.

    Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982 · G&G Fall 2013 +1

  2. Quartz slowly precipitates from solution and crystallizes into druses.

    Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982 · G&G Fall 2013 +1

  3. Chalcedony deposits as fibrous microcrystals in layers from the void rim inward, producing banding.

    Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982 · G&G Fall 2013 +1

  4. Silica further densifies under secondary enrichment and supergene conditions, forming a massive material usable as jade rough.

    Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982 · G&G Fall 2013 +1

Link to appearance

The appearance of the underlying material depends on quartz/chalcedony grain size and chromophores: coarse quartz may form transparent druses, fibrous microcrystalline chalcedony is semitranslucent with a waxy to greasy luster, and Fe and other elements produce yellow/red warm hues with bands and patterns.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Timescale

The source states that crystallization of comparable silica chalcedony (agate) can last millions of years and proceed in stages.

Sources G&G Fall 2013

Related base materials

  • Quartz-dominant jade (quartz-family category): Jinsi yu is a trade name within the category of quartzose jade
  • Quartz / chalcedony: Underlying mineral material, mainly quartz and cryptocrystalline chalcedony

Supporting findings

The underlying quartz commonly fills vugs or fissures in volcanic rocks, crystallizing by slow precipitation from silica-rich fluids.

Evidence grade A

Scope: Applies to the genesis of the underlying quartz crystals; not site-specific.

Sources G&G Spring 2017 · G&G Spring 1982

The underlying chalcedony/agate precipitates as cryptocrystalline silica in stages from the void rim inward, producing banded textures.

Evidence grade A

Scope: Describes cryptocrystalline chalcedony precipitation, not a single locality.

Sources G&G Fall 2013

The underlying quartz material occurs in hydrothermal veins, granites, and granite pegmatites, as well as in sandstones, quartzites, and other rock types.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Describes occurrence environments; not limited to one locality.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

According to the source, crystallization of comparable silica chalcedony can last millions of years and proceed in stages.

Evidence grade A

Scope: Timescale derives from a specific agate locality; extrapolation to this trade-name material should be cautious.

Sources G&G Fall 2013

Recorded localities

Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.

Locality sketch mapLand outlines only; the map does not depict any national or regional boundary. Dots mark approximate positions. Base map: Natural Earth (public domain).

Asia

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 trade name "Jinsi 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 "Jinsi Yu" itself.

Evidence grade B

Scope: 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 underlying materials of Jinsi Yu are quartz and cryptocrystalline chalcedony, chemically dominated by SiO2.

Evidence grade B

Scope: A mineralogical composition statement, not a specific sample identification.

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

Limits of this research

  • Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
  • 'Jinsi Yu' is a trade name for a quartz-dominant jade, not an independent mineral species or material; this record documents the genesis of its underlying quartz/chalcedony material.
  • The full text of GB/T 34098-2017 and GB/T 16552-2017 is not freely obtainable (the free national-standard preview covers only mandatory standards), so Table A.1 and other clause wording could not be verified; no clause numbers or classification tables are cited.
  • The timescale derives from a specific agate locality, not a universal value for this trade-name material.

Methodology

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: Jinsi Yu)

GB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1, §6 b)

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

"Jinsi 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: Jinsi Yu)" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.

Known uncertainty

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: Jinsi 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

Fracture

Conchoidal

Sources Handbook of Mineralogy

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

For Jinsi Yu, "golden silk jade" must not be used as a name (GB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1; GB/T 34098—2017 §6 b); 16 CFR Part 23 §23.25(a)).

Trade and mineralogical namesJinsi Yu is listed in GB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1 as a quartzose jade trade name, placed in the same merged cell as quartzite jade, chalcedony, agate and jasper, and the original does not specify which it belongs to; the trade name cannot be used on its own, so the basic name must first be determined by testing, followed by the note trade name: Jinsi Yu. Recommended listing nameThe suggested listing name is quartzose jade (trade name: Jinsi Yu); Jinsi Yu is a commercial/trade name, not a mineralogical species name. Names in four languagesFour-language names are given in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Jinsi Yu) and Japanese (pending verification). Institution usageAmong GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A, the FTC and CIBJO texts have been checked and contain no wording for Jinsi Yu; GIA and Gem-A wording is unchecked, and bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position. Japanese namesFor Japan's GSJ, the entry's own Japanese name is marked pending verification, and the wording of Japan's GSJ for this name is not yet verified by this site. Trade and mineralogical namesThe English mineralogical description in GB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1 is quartzose jade sold under the trade name Jinsi Yu.

Name register

Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

NameTypeMatchingUse as a nameBasis
not to be used as a name (1)
golden silk jadeEnglishmarket namematched automaticallynot to be used as a nameGB/T 34098—2017 Table A.1; GB/T 34098—2017 §6 b); 16 CFR Part 23 §23.25(a)

How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.

Authority wording

GIA, FTC, CIBJO, Gem-A
Jinsi Yu (no wording for this name in the FTC, CIBJO text on file; GIA, Gem-A unchecked — bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name)
GSJ (Japan) formal name
金絲玉（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)
金丝玉 (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 Jinsi Yu (GB/T 34098 Table A.1)
Trade names and synonyms
Not to be used as a name: golden silk jade (market name)

Four-language names

简体中文
金丝玉
繁體中文
金絲玉
English
Jinsi Yu
日本語
金絲玉（待核）

GB/T 34098 trade names

Position in Table A.1
金丝玉 Jinsi 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: 金丝玉 Jinsi 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

Whole-class features of Jinsi Yu such as chemical composition are written in the cited clause for quartzose jade (the whole class); see the material facts on the Quartzose Jade entry. Mohs hardness is 6–7, taken for quartzose jade (the whole class); GB/T 34098—2017 also notes that Mohs hardness is sometimes below 6–7, down to 5.5, and this site notes that hardness alone does not amount to any advice on everyday wear. Density is 2.53–2.72 g/cm³, taken for quartzose jade (the whole class); GB/T 34098—2017 also notes that density sometimes falls outside 2.53–2.72 g/cm³, as low as 2.48 g/cm³ or as high as 2.95 g/cm³, and this site notes that the registered value is the main range, not a threshold for establishing the identity of the material. Refractive index is 1.53–1.55, taken for quartzose jade (the whole class).

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 Jinsi 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 Jinsi Yu (how to read class-level values).

Durability

Jinsi Yu — Mohs hardness: 6–7

GB/T 34098—2017

123456789106–7References (diamond = value, bar = range; below)

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))

Mohs hardnessSource: 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 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

Jinsi Yu — density: 2.53–2.72 g/cm³

GB/T 34098—2017

0.51.52.53.54.55.56.57.52.53–2.72
Specific gravitySource: 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

Jinsi Yu — refractive index: 1.53–1.55

GB/T 34098—2017

1.31.72.12.52.93.31.53–1.55
Refractive indexSource: 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.

1.531.541.551.561.571.582.42.52.62.72.8Refractive indexSpecific gravity12345Jinsi Yu

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)1.41.51.61.71.81.922.12.22.32.41234567Refractive indexSpecific gravity12345Jinsi Yu

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

Refractive index × specific gravity (all registered materials)Each dot is one material's registered refractive index and specific gravity (range midpoints, not measurements); gold = this material, dark = the nearest few (picked on this site by distance in RI ÷ 0.02 and SG ÷ 0.1, leaving out near-identical varieties of the same species)Source: each material's registered refractive index and specific gravity facts (GB/T 16553 and others; sources on each entry)

Evidence and sources

Authority basis and clause sources

GB/T 34098—2017
Naming rule Table A.1 · Source
GB/T 34098—2017
Naming rule §6 b) · Source
GB/T 16552—2017
Not listed the name does not occur anywhere in the text; scope: Chapter 1 “Scope” · Source
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Not listed no occurrence of “Jinsi Yu” in chapter 7; scope set by §7.1.1 “Gemstone” definition (Gemstones encompass) · Source

Sources

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 (Jinsi Yu) is marked.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

PageContentStatus
Browsing familyQuartz and chalcedony materialsLive
Related articlesTo be added (placeholder)Planned

Who maintains this page

The material facts in the Jinsi 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.

Facts editor
Ralph
Reviewer
June
How facts are checked
Each fact is matched to the clause it cites; facts checked on 2026-09-26
Last revised
2026-10-12
Purpose
Lets buyers and sellers check naming, disclosure and material facts clause by clause.

Spotted an error? Report it on the forum