sedimentary

Yellow Jasper

Microcrystalline Quartz with Iron Oxide (SiO2)

Mohs hardness: 6.5-7. Color: yellow to mustard-gold. Luster: dull to vitreous when wet or polished. Crystal structure: hexagonal/trigonal (microcrystalline). Cleavage: none, conchoidal fracture. Specific gravity: 2.6-2.9.

Hardness: 6
Color: yellow to mustard-gold
Luster: dull to vitreous when wet or polished

Identified April 7, 2026More sedimentary →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed primarily through the chemical precipitation of silica in volcanic or sedimentary environments, often associated with hydrothermal activity. Its yellow hue comes from iron-bearing minerals like goethite or limonite.

Uses & applications

Used extensively in jewelry making for cabochons, beads, and carvings. Also used for decorative stone in tiles or as a protective/healing stone in metaphysical communities.

Geological facts

Yellow Jasper is known as a stone of endurance and perseverance. It is a dense, opaque variety of chalcedony that has been used by ancient civilizations for seals and ornamentation for thousands of years.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its opacity (even on thin edges), high hardness (cannot be scratched by a steel knife), and characteristic smooth, shell-like fracture pattern. It is commonly found in river beds, deserts, and volcanic regions worldwide, notably in India, Russia, and the USA.

Other sedimentary specimens

See all

Sandstone or Siltstone

Arenite (if sandstone)

Sedimentary

Sandstone

Arenite (primarily SiO2)

sedimentary

Shale or Slaty Mudstone

Argillaceous sedimentary rock

sedimentary

Chert Breccia

Brecciated Chert (Microcrystalline Silica)

sedimentary

Sandstone (Quartz-rich)

Arenite (SiO2)

sedimentary

Sandstone (with man-made markings)

Arenite (composed primarily of Quartz, SiO2)

sedimentary