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Guatemala Yields New Blue
Posted: 11/21/03

Miners have uncovered a sizable deposit of deep blue jade in the Motagua Valley of Guatemala, home to the historic jade deposits of the ancient Maya. The deposits were re-discovered in the mid-90s, but thus far have produced mostly green to green-blue colors.

"As far as any of us know, this is the first blue jade in the history of the world," said William Rohtert of Ventana Mining, the company that made the discovery. They had found small amounts of dark blue-green jade in 1999 and lighter blue-green material in 2000, but until November the serious deposits had eluded them.

A geologist and gemologist by training, Rohtert admits that the discovery was pure luck. "It was a complete and utter surprise. [The area where the blue jade was found] was an area we had been disappointed in, but the guys down there kept working, and there it was."

The material is still being evaluated, but Rohtert believes that the blue color comes from titanium, producing a color that he compares to blue sapphire. The jade is translucent to opaque, depending on the quality of the piece. At the time this was written, the deposit was still being explored to determine how much blue jade would be produced, and of what quality, but Rohtert hints that he expects to find large quantities.

"I think in my career as a gemologist, [bringing Guatemalan jade to market] is the most important thing I've done," Rohtert added. "We have a distinctive product," one that he hopes will develop a separate identity from the Burmese jadeite that currently dominates the market. "Something like this belongs in the front and center."