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Chemical Formula: SiO2
Mineral Name: Jasper
Color: Brick red to brownish red
Hardness: 6.5- 7.5
Specific Gravity: 2.6- 2.64
Jasper is a dark green, semi-translucent to opaque
form of semiprecious chalcedony. It derives its name
from the Greek iaspis. It owes its color to admixed
hematite, but when it occurs with clay admixed, the
color is a yellowish white or gray, or with goethite,
a brown or yellow. Jasper is opaque, fine-grained or
dense variety of the silica mineral chert. Jasper,
long used for jewelry and ornamentation, has a dull
luster but takes a fine polish. Its hardness and other
physical properties are those of quartz.
It is used in many forms of jewelry and lapidary arts.
Jasper was known as the great "rain-bringer" in the
fourth century. Jasper is one of the gemstones, that
used in commesso, also called florentine mosaic.
Commesso is a technique of fashioning pictures with
thin, cut-to-shape pieces of brightly colored,
semiprecious stones. It can also be worn as beads or
cabochon jewelry. Jasper strengthens the stomach and
is believed to cure gynecological problems. It is also
thought to drive away evil spirits and protect against
snake and spider bites. Jasper is commonly found in
the regions of North Africa, Sicily, France, India,
Venezula and Germany, USA etc.
