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.

Semi