Jade Fever is a Canadian documentary television series from Discovery Channel Canada, produced by Omnifilm Entertainment, that ran for seven seasons between April 2015 and July 2021. The series follows a long-standing jade mining family as they explored and placer-mined nephrite jade in the Dease Lake area of Northern British Columbia while also running a small motel and souvenir business in Jade City. The series was narrated by Martin Strong.
Jade Fever was nominated for a 2016 Canadian Screen Award in the "Best Factual Program or Series" category. The series premiered on The Weather Channel in the US on June 5, 2021. It was also available in Germany, France, Sweden, Australia, and Russia, among other territories. In April 2021, Jade Fever became available to stream on CTV.ca.
The series was cancelled in July 2021. Prior to its cancellation, Tahltan First Nation claimed the series was filmed in a mine in Tahltan territory without approval from the nation. However, permits from the Ministry of Energy and Mines had been obtained. In July 2021, Bell Media did not respond to questions of whether the series was pulled off-air owing to pressure from the Tahltan First Nation.
Summary Jade City is a remote highway stop in northern British Columbia with a community of 25 run by Claudia Bunce and her husband Robin. They mine a large jade claim and employ most of the people in town, making the town dependent on the financial success of the mine.
Cast Claudia Bunce The matriarch of the Bunce jade mining family and the mine boss bookkeeper (season 1–7). Robin Bunce The patriarch of the Bunce jade mining family and heavy truck/construction equipment operator (season 1–7). Josh Bunce Claudia and Robin's youngest son, a mine hand, heavy truck/construction equipment operator (season 1–7), and camp medic (season 3). Justin Bunce Claudia and Robin's middle son, a mine hand, prospector, heavy truck/construction equipment operator (season 2; season 7), and jade tabletop maker (season 3). Shaun Bunce Claudia and Robin’s eldest son (season 2, episode 13).
Steve Simonovic Claudia Bunce's father, a pioneer Cassiar Country jade miner, and founder of Jade City (season 1–2 and season 5–7) Guy Martial Mine hand, heavy truck/construction equipment operator (season 1–5) Robin, a.k.a. "R-2" Mine hand, heavy truck/construction equipment operator (season 1–7), and alternate camp medic (season 3). Alan Qiao First Chinese investor (season 1–2). Gary Wentworth Mine hand, heavy truck/construction equipment operator, and friend of Guy (season 3–7). "Scrappy" Larry Local scrap metal/used heavy truck/used construction equipment dealer, heavy truck/construction equipment mechanic, heavy truck/construction equipment operator, and Bunce family friend (season 2–3; season 5–7). Susan Scrappy Larry's common-law wife (season 5, episode 3–6). Alex Bunce company employee residing in Jade City (season 2; season 3). Joe, a.k.a. "Jo-Jo" Bunce company employee residing in Jade City (season 2–3; season 5). Karim Kaouar Professional pastry chef, Two Mile mine camp cook (season 5–6). Peter Niu NEK Mining Inc. company executive (season 3). William Beijing-based representative of NEK Mining (season 3). Christina Vancouver-based representative of NEK Mining (season 3). Chris Geologist, mine hand, and Justin's friend (season 3). Henry Jade miner on a neighbouring claim and Bunce family friend (season 3). Mike Mee Engineer, mine hand, venture capital fundraiser, and Justin's friend (season 2–3). Lesley Hunt Consultant Geologist (Season 1).
List of episodes Season 1 No.TitleOriginal release date1"Jade Fever"March 31, 20152"Got a Rope"March 31, 20153"The Long March"April 7, 20154"Slippery Slope"April 7, 20155"Hide and Seek"April 14, 20156"No Jade Until Blood is Spilled"April 14, 20157"The Curse of the Jade"April 21, 20158"Rude Awakening"April 21, 20159"Company's Coming"April 28, 201510"Out of Bounds"April 28, 201511"Down to the Wire"May 5, 201512"It Ain't Easy Finding Green"May 5, 2015
Season 2 No.TitleOriginal release date1"Mountains To Climb"February 23, 20162"Out in the Cold"February 23, 20163"500 Bolts"March 1, 20164"Loaded"March 1, 20165"An Ounce of Hope"March 8, 20166"May Jay!"March 8, 20167"Walk Hard"March 15, 20168"Big Chunk of Green"March 15, 20169"Sink, Sank, Sunk"March 22, 201610"Fractured"March 22, 201611"The Jade Whisperer"March 29, 201612"Mystery Rock"March 29, 201613"Code Brown"April 5, 201614"The Big One"April 5, 201615"Jaded"April 12, 201616"Escape From Wolverine"April 12, 2016
Season 3 No.TitleOriginal release date1"Hard Climb"March 7, 20172"Breakdown and Meltdowns"March 7, 20173"Digging In"March 15, 20174"Cutting Crew"March 15, 20175"High Stakes Claim"March 21, 20176"Eyes on the Prize"March 21, 20177"Shut Out"March 28, 20178"Start It Up"March 28, 20179"Slabs of Jade"April 4, 201710"Night Moves"April 4, 201711"The Big Fin"April 11, 201712"The Bunce Dynasty"April 11, 2017
Season 4 No.TitleOriginal release date1"Head Start"March 13, 20182"Hard Core"March 13, 20183"Tip of the Iceberg"March 20, 20184"You're My Boy Blue"March 20, 20185"Uphill Battle"March 27, 20186"All Slice, No Dice"March 27, 20187"Slipping Away"April 3, 20188"Failing Grade"April 3, 20189"Moving Day"April 10, 201810"Battered and Bruised"April 10, 201811"The Curse of Wolverine"April 17, 201812"Shower Day"April 17, 201813"Medio-core"April 24, 201814"We Found Jade"April 24, 2018
Season 5 No.TitleOriginal release date1"The Long and Grinding Road"April 8, 20192"Nose for Jade"April 8, 20193"Bunkhouse Blues"April 15, 20194"Stuck In The MiddleApril 15, 20195It's My PartyApril 22, 20196"Who's The Boss?"April 22, 20197"Running On Empty"April 29, 20198"Ridge to Riches"April 29, 20199"Playing With Fire"May 6, 201910"Bunkhouse or Bust"May 6, 201911"Risky Business"May 13, 201912"No Country For Cold Men"May 13, 201913"Snow Job"May 20, 201914"Pushing the Limits"May 20, 2019
Season 6 No.Title Original release date1"The Big Deal"March 23, 20202"The Last Laugh"March 23, 20203"Down to the Wire"March 30, 20204"Trans Mission"March 30, 20205"Bad Brakes"April 6, 20206"Right Under Our Nose"April 6, 20207"Deal Breaker"April 13, 20208"Deal or No Deal"April 13, 20209"Heavy Lifting"April 20, 202010"Panic Mode"April 20, 202011"Digging In"April 27, 202012"Christmas In August"April 27, 202013"Between A Truck and a ..May 4, 202014"Mutiny On the Mountain"May 4, 2020
Season 7 No.Title Original release date1"Keep On Truckin'"May 10, 20212"Young Guy With Semi"May 17, 20213"One Step Forward"May 24, 20214"Of Mud and Men"May 31, 20215"Six Pack O' Trouble"June 7, 20216"Fly By Wire"June 14, 20217"The Little Saw That Couldn't"June 21, 20218"Go Deep"June 28, 20219"Fathers And Sons"July 5, 202110"All That Glitters is Jade"July 19, 2021
Impact on industry In season 3, the Bunce's hard rock mining operation at the Dynasty claim started to successfully quarry jade – a first in jade mining; which usually rips jade lenses out of rock with heavy equipment instead of quarrying it out like marble.
Controversy In 2020 Tahltan First Nation requested the show's mining crew cease operations of their mine as they had not consulted with or sought approvals from Tahltan First Nation to mine within their territory. Tahltan reached out to Bell Media and Omnifilm who develop the program to cease filming. In May 2021, Bell Media claimed they were unaware of the requests from Tahltan First Nation, but claimed they would investigate into the matter. In May 2021, after a request from the Tahltan Central Government, the Province of British Columbia put an order to not issue jade mining permits in the region for 2 years.
See also Gemstone mining TV shows Ice Cold Gold, a cancelled reality TV series featuring gemstone prospecting in Greenland Gold Rush (season 4, in Guyana, with placer diamond mining) Outback Opal Hunters, a reality TV series featuring opal mining in Australia Resource extraction TV shows in Canada Yukon Gold, a cancelled reality TV series featuring placer gold mining in northern British Columbia (seasons 1 & 4) and Yukon
References
External links Discover Channel Canada, Jade Fever (official website)