mineral

Polished red jasper pebble

Jasper, microcrystalline quartz (SiO₂) with iron-oxide impurities

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Opaque reddish-brown with gray/black matrix and a smooth tumbled surface; vitreous to dull luster, no visible cleavage, Mohs hardness about 6.5–7, and specific gravity about 2.5–2.7. The mottled lower zone may contain silica-rich breccia or host-rock fragments.

Identified August 21, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Jasper forms when silica-rich groundwater or volcanic fluids cement and replace sediments or volcanic material, with iron oxides producing the red color. Its exact geological age cannot be determined from the photograph; deposits occur in many Precambrian and younger terrains.

Uses & applications

Used as ornamental stone, cabochons, beads, carvings, countertops, and polished collectibles. Common tumbled pieces have modest commercial value.

Geological facts

Jasper is an opaque variety of chalcedony or microcrystalline quartz, rather than a separate mineral species. Red coloration commonly comes from hematite or other iron oxides.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by its opaque red color, fine-grained texture, glassy hardness, and inability to scratch with a steel knife easily; it should not show quartz-like transparent crystals. Common sources include India, Madagascar, Brazil, Australia, and the western United States.