Jade Fever: Hunting the Stone of Heaven

Liz Dennett is a public service librarian in the Science and Technology
Library at the University of Alberta.

Stan Leaming, an 87-year-old geologist and Canadian jade expert, takes a
look at the history, science, uses, and lore of jade and combines this
with his own personal “jade hunting” memoirs. He begins by
chronicling each of the major British Columbia and Yukon jade
discoveries. The details of who, when, where, the quality of the jade,
how big the deposit was, and how much money they got for it are
scrupulously recorded. Subsequent chapters explore the science of the
two main jade minerals, nephrite and jadeite, and explain why these and
other stones are all known collectively as jade. A short history of jade
in North America and Europe is also provided.

Leaming then moves on to memories of his jade travels. While he was
never a prospector himself, his published works on Canadian jade
deposits attracted offers to visit other countries to share his
knowledge and view foreign jade sites. In this way, he was able to visit
China, Taiwan, Korea, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand. He offers his
keen observations on all aspects of these trips, from the food consumed,
to travel troubles encountered, to the jade seen. The 1986 trip to the
western areas of Communist China, where few foreigners had been allowed,
is particularly interesting.

The book finishes with two chapters on jade in Canada’s court system
and jade sculptors working in Canada. There are photos from Stan’s
trips and of jade carved by British Columbia’s best carvers. Included
for useful reference are two appendixes on the chemical formulas of
nephrite and jadeite and on world jade production, a glossary of terms,
and a helpful index.

Jade Fever could have been slightly better organized with the
discoveries, science, history, artwork, and lore pulled together, and
the travel memoirs in a separate section. However, the book undeniably
offers important insight into the Canadian jade scene, and its
straightforward prose gives the book a quiet charm. This is a must-read
for all those with an interest in Canadian jade.