Warning new purple "jade" from Bolivia

[finegemdesigns]

This appeared on eBay and I bought a piece.

Cuts like butter in my trim saw so I checked hardness.
It is scratched easily by lapis. And it won't scratch lapis.
Therefore hardness estimated at 4-5 MOHs max.
Specific gravity was 2.93.

eBay seller claimed the rock was sold to them as jade.

Then I got an email from the supplier of the eBay seller. Their claim:
"it is a combination of nephite, lizardite and fluorite."

So they believe it is OK for them to call it jade.

[lithicbeads]

Thanks.

[hulagrub]

People will say anything to make a sale!

[ILMSteve]

Hope you can do something with it. Thanks for the heads-up.

[southerly]

interesting, looks like fluorite rich rock is the best description. Fluorite with nephrite/lizzardite is an unlikely combination.