metamorphic
Red jasper pebble
Jasper, microcrystalline quartz (SiO₂) colored by iron oxides
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectTypically hardness 6.5–7 Mohs, opaque brick-red to orange, dull to waxy luster, very fine-grained cryptocrystalline quartz with no visible cleavage. The rounded shape indicates natural water wear or tumbling; small dark inclusions may be iron or manganese minerals.
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Physical properties
Typically hardness 6.5–7 Mohs, opaque brick-red to orange, dull to waxy luster, very fine-grained cryptocrystalline quartz with no visible cleavage. The rounded shape indicates natural water wear or tumbling; small dark inclusions may be iron or manganese minerals.
Formation & geological history
Jasper forms when silica-rich fluids replace or cement fine sediment, commonly with iron-oxide impurities; many deposits are Precambrian to younger. The specimen was likely weathered from a siliceous volcanic or sedimentary host and rounded in stream or beach gravel.
Uses & applications
Used as ornamental stone, cabochons, beads, carvings, polished stones, and inexpensive jewelry; also collected as a lapidary material.
Geological facts
Its red-orange color primarily reflects hematite or goethite. Jasper is technically a variety of opaque chalcedony/microcrystalline quartz rather than a single strictly defined rock type.
Field identification & locations
Identify it by its opaque red-orange color, fine texture, quartz-like hardness, and inability to scratch with a steel knife easily; glass or a steel file may be scratched. Common in India, Brazil, Madagascar, the United States, and Australia.
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