mineral

Red Moss Agate or Jasper-Agate

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 6.5-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Red, white, and translucent; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline/cryptocrystalline); Cleavage: None, conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.60-2.65.

Hardness: 6
Color: Red, white, and translucent
Luster: Vitreous to waxy

Identified April 16, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from hydrothermal deposits of silica-rich fluids filling cavities (vugs) in volcanic or sedimentary rocks. The red coloring is caused by iron oxide inclusions, while the white/clear areas are chalcedony/agate.

Uses & applications

Used primarily in lapidary arts for jewelry, pocket stones, decorative ornaments, and as a collector's specimen.

Geological facts

Agates and Jaspers are both varieties of chalcedony. When a specimen contains both clear/translucent silica and opaque iron-rich silica, it is often referred to as a 'Jasp-Agate'.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness (cannot be scratched by steel) and lack of cleavage. Common in river beds and volcanic regions in the Western US, Brazil, and India.

Other mineral specimens

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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Schist

Metamorphic

Epidote

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metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral