Jasper
Jasper
| Mineralogy : | |
| Tradename(s) | Stone Canyon, Leopard Skin, Brecciated, Biggs, Picasso, Orbicular, Ocean |
| Family | Chalcedony/Quartz group |
| Description | Microcrystalline variety of quartz that contains up to 20% of foreign material. These foreign materials determine the color and appearnce of the stone. Jasper is rarely uniform in color, it is usually multicolored, striped, or spotted. Generally opaque in appearance. Orbicular Jasper is also a form of this chalcedony and appears to be a mass of rhyolite flow that has silicated. As it cools, sometimes the silica starts to precipitate out of the magma, forming little spherical balls. These balls are what make it an orbicular jasper as in "Ocean Jasper. Jasper is simply a chalcedony that is made up of massive fine grained quartz. |
| Mohs | 6.5-7 |
| Chemical Composition | SiO2 |
| Refractive Index | 1.53-1.54 (Ocean Jasper) |
| Specific Gravity | 2.58-2.64 |
| Cleavage | none |
| Streak | Ochre yellow, brown - red, white |
| Localities | Germany, India, Russia, Pakistan, France, and USA., Northwest coast of Madagascar. |
| Metaphysical : | |
| Healing | Believed to aid in gall bladder, stomach, and kidney disorders. Assist in pursuits based on service, helps one accept responsibility, eliminates toxins, decreases body odor. Relaxation, and contentment, mothering and nurturing, compassion, completion, and organization. |
| Astrology | Associated with the sign of Leo. Red jasper is associated with the October Moon (Blood Moon). |
| Elemental | Earth / Fire / Water |
| Chakra | All chakras - brick red and green 3rd chakra - gray |
| Feng Shui | N/A |
| Legend / Folklore : |
| Jasper has a long
history. The name is said to come from the
Greek word "iaspis". It dates back
as early as (20,000 B.C.) in France where
it was found to be used for ornamental objects,
to the Babylonians times (1000 B.C.) where
it was used in seals which have been found
in ancient ruins. The Harrappa culture of
India also used this stone in their jewelry.
Green jasper was thought to be good luck in
monetary trades. It was used for many different
medicinal reasons such as grinding it into
a fine powder to use for the treatment of
gall bladder and kidney disease treatments
like the Persians did. Brick red jasper is
considered to be the "mother" of
all stones.
Ocean Orbicular Jasper: This new rock has been found along the northwest coast of Madagascar after years of unsuccessful searching. The deposit formed similar to a rhyolite flow but has been totally resilicated. The rhyolitic spheres or orbs come in an astonishing array of colors and color combinations. The background can be white, pink,, green, red or yellow. Botryoidal formations as well as white and deep green druzy are also common. The deposit, being located at the edge of the ocean, can only be seen and collected from at low tide. This remote area has no roads so the material must be transported to civilization by boat. Ocean Jasper is produced from only one mine near Marovato. |
| Birthstone and other Information : |
|
Red jasper can be considered a semi-precious birthstone of the month of March. |