![scrapbook page with pictures of George Harlow and team in the field](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_guatemala/4218970-5-eng-US/ii_hfj_guatemala_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_guatemala/4218970-5-eng-US/ii_hfj_guatemala_full_990.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_guatemala/4218970-5-eng-US/ii_hfj_guatemala_full_1468.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_guatemala/4218970-5-eng-US/ii_hfj_guatemala_full_1980.jpg 926w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/ii_hfj_guatemala/4218970-5-eng-US/ii_hfj_guatemala_full_2475.jpg 926w)
![jade hunters walking through woods and on horseback](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_ourteam/4200468-1-eng-US/guatemala_ourteam_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_ourteam/4200468-1-eng-US/guatemala_ourteam_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_ourteam/4200468-1-eng-US/guatemala_ourteam_full_1468.jpg 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_ourteam/4200468-1-eng-US/guatemala_ourteam_full_1980.jpg 1800w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_ourteam/4200468-1-eng-US/guatemala_ourteam_full_2475.jpg 1800w)
our team
Each winter I go to find new sources and new types of jade in the Montagua River Valley. I don't search for jade by myself. I travel with a team of scientists and local expert jade hunters. The places we go often don't have roads. We explore on foot and on horseback. Good thing I like the outdoors!
![close up of serpentinite which is green with squiggly patterns](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_serpentinite/4200444-1-eng-US/guatemala_serpentinite_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_serpentinite/4200444-1-eng-US/guatemala_serpentinite_full_990.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_serpentinite/4200444-1-eng-US/guatemala_serpentinite_full_1468.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_serpentinite/4200444-1-eng-US/guatemala_serpentinite_full_1980.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_serpentinite/4200444-1-eng-US/guatemala_serpentinite_full_2475.jpg 960w)
serpentinite
I use clues on the surface of Earth to help me find Jade. First, we look for serpentinite. It's a green rock that is soft and often has squiggly patterns. Serpentinite rocks mark the scars where Earth's tectonic plates collided with each other.
![looking in riverbed for jade](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds/4200460-1-eng-US/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds/4200460-1-eng-US/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds/4200460-1-eng-US/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds_full_1468.jpg 1400w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds/4200460-1-eng-US/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds_full_1980.jpg 1400w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds/4200460-1-eng-US/guatemala_lookinginriverbeds_full_2475.jpg 1400w)
looking in riverbeds
We usually look first in rivers or dried-up riverbeds. Flowing water wears away the serpentinite. Jade doesn't wear away and eventually ends up in the riverbed.
![looking at boulders near riverbed for ecolgite and close up of ecologite](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_narrowingoursearch/4200464-2-eng-US/guatemala_narrowingoursearch_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_narrowingoursearch/4200464-2-eng-US/guatemala_narrowingoursearch_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_narrowingoursearch/4200464-2-eng-US/guatemala_narrowingoursearch_full_1468.jpg 1468w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_narrowingoursearch/4200464-2-eng-US/guatemala_narrowingoursearch_full_1980.jpg 1600w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_narrowingoursearch/4200464-2-eng-US/guatemala_narrowingoursearch_full_2475.jpg 1600w)
narrowing our search
We follow the river that passes through serpentinite and we look for rocks that are more rare: eclogite and blueschist. When we find these rocks, it is a good signal that jade is nearby! They are both formed at high pressure and low temperature where the ocean's crust sinks into Earth's interior mantle.
![green hunk of jade with yellow brown skin on outside](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_rawjade/4200452-1-eng-US/guatemala_rawjade_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_rawjade/4200452-1-eng-US/guatemala_rawjade_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_rawjade/4200452-1-eng-US/guatemala_rawjade_full_1468.jpg 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_rawjade/4200452-1-eng-US/guatemala_rawjade_full_1980.jpg 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_rawjade/4200452-1-eng-US/guatemala_rawjade_full_2475.jpg 1200w)
raw jade
To most people, raw jade looks like any other rock. It can have a skin that might be white, yellow, brown, or black.
![large jade deposits in forest](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade/4200456-1-eng-US/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade/4200456-1-eng-US/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade_full_990.jpg 990w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade/4200456-1-eng-US/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade_full_1468.jpg 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade/4200456-1-eng-US/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade_full_1980.jpg 1200w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade/4200456-1-eng-US/guatemala_wefoundlotsofjade_full_2475.jpg 1200w)
We found lots of jade!
We found jade pieces of all different sizes. Some are as small as a marble. Others are as big as a house! We found most of the jade in rivers. But sometimes we also found jade in the middle of the forests and fields.
![george harlow bending down to hit boulder with metal blade](/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_testingforjade/4200448-1-eng-US/guatemala_testingforjade_full_495.jpg 495w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_testingforjade/4200448-1-eng-US/guatemala_testingforjade_full_990.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_testingforjade/4200448-1-eng-US/guatemala_testingforjade_full_1468.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_testingforjade/4200448-1-eng-US/guatemala_testingforjade_full_1980.jpg 960w,/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/amnh/images/explore/ology-images/earth/jade/hfj-hunting-for-jade/guatemala_testingforjade/4200448-1-eng-US/guatemala_testingforjade_full_2475.jpg 960w)
testing for jade
We have special tricks for finding jade. When we hit a boulder with a big metal blade, the blade rings with a special "ping." Other rocks like marble make a "thunk." Also, jade is so durable that when we hit it with a hammer, the hammer bounces off wildly!
Image Credits:
All field photos: courtesy of George Harlow and colleagues; raw jade: courtesy of AMNH, Denis Finnin