sedimentary
Jasper Conglomerate
Clastic Sedimentary Rock (Conglomeratic Quartzite)
Hardness: 6.5-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Multi-colored with reddish, brown, and tan clasts; Luster: Dull to earthy; Texture: Coarse-grained clasts in a fine matrix; Cleavage: None.
- Hardness
- 6
- Color
- Multi-colored with reddish, brown, and tan clasts
- Luster
- Dull to earthy
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Jasper Conglomerate in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 6.5-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Multi-colored with reddish, brown, and tan clasts; Luster: Dull to earthy; Texture: Coarse-grained clasts in a fine matrix; Cleavage: None.
Formation & geological history
Formed from the lithification of rounded river or beach gravel. The red coloration suggests the presence of iron oxide (hematite) during the deposition and cementation phases.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as decorative stone, in landscaping, and sometimes as a minor gemstone when polished into beads or cabochons.
Geological facts
Conglomerates are 'time capsules' of geological history, as they contain fragments of even older rocks transported by high-energy water environments like fast-moving rivers.
Field identification & locations
Identify by looking for rounded pebbles (clasts) fused together by a finer-grained matrix. Common in ancient riverbeds or alluvial fan deposits worldwide.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Brown Sandstone (River Rock)
Arenite
sedimentary
Mudstone
Argillite / Siliciclastic sedimentary rock
sedimentary
Cone-in-cone structure (Limestone)
Cone-in-cone structure (Secondary Sedimentary Structure)
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite (primarily SiO2)
sedimentary
Sandstone Grain
Clastic Sedimentary Rock Grain (SiO2 dominated)
sedimentary