
sedimentary
Brecciated jasper (likely poppy jasper or mookaite-type jasper)
Microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony), SiO₂, with iron-oxide pigments and breccia fragments
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness about 6.5–7 Mohs; opaque orange-red, yellow, cream, brown, and gray colors; waxy to dull luster; cryptocrystalline quartz with no visible cleavage, commonly fractured and vein-filled. The slab appears polished or cut and contains angular multicolored breccia clasts.
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Physical properties
Hardness about 6.5–7 Mohs; opaque orange-red, yellow, cream, brown, and gray colors; waxy to dull luster; cryptocrystalline quartz with no visible cleavage, commonly fractured and vein-filled. The slab appears polished or cut and contains angular multicolored breccia clasts.
Formation & geological history
Forms when silica-rich fluids cement and replace fine volcanic or sedimentary material, with iron oxides producing the red-orange coloration; brecciation reflects repeated fracturing and cementation. Exact geological age cannot be determined visually; jasper deposits range from Precambrian to Cenozoic.
Uses & applications
Used for cabochons, carvings, beads, polished slabs, lapidary décor, and occasionally ornamental stone; not generally used as structural building stone.
Geological facts
“Poppy jasper” is a trade name applied to vividly spotted red jasper, while “mookaite” properly refers to colorful radiolarian chert from Western Australia; visual identification alone cannot establish the locality.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its opaque color zones, waxy quartz texture, high hardness, and resistance to scratching by steel; it should not fizz in dilute acid. Common jasper occurs worldwide, especially in volcanic and hydrothermal terrains.
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