The Jaspers:

• Jasper is a massive, fine-grained quartz, always opaque. Its varied patterns and colors are caused by the presence of other rocks and minerals such as clay, iron oxides and many others. The contrasting patterns are as varied as they are numerous, such as parallel, rectilinear or concentric bands, angular lines, polka dots, scattered spots, dendrites, etc. Jasper covers an impressive number of varieties and provenances whose names, whether familiar or commercial, are most often assigned based on patterns, resemblances or localities of extraction. Abundant, Jasper is cut, engraved and sculpted in all its forms, mainly for jewelry and decorative arts.

Etymology:

• Word of very ancient origin whose root is found in Greek iaspis as well as in Latin iaspe , in Hebrew yashpheh and in Persian iashm

Origin:

• natural mineral material

History and beliefs:

• Jasper has been cut and sculpted since the dawn of time for the needs of jewelry, jewelry and ornamentation. In ancient times, it was attributed with the ability to facilitate childbirth and soothe female pain. It is said to be a cure for stress because it brings peace of mind.

System :

• trigonal

Training:

• by siliceous and clayey deposition in cavities and veins of sedimentary rocks, altered igneous rocks or metamorphic rocks

Habit or facies:

• micro-crystallized to crypto-crystallized massive aggregate, most often in veins or strata

Date of discovery:

• On quartz in general: - Antiquity ≈300 BC: summary identification by the philosopher Theophrastus (Tomkeieff, 1942) - 1546: classification by Agricola - 1907: demonstration of the existence and difference between the two phases of Quartz-Alpha and Beta by the German mineralogist and crystallographer Otto Muegge (1858-1932)

Group/family:

• Quartz

Subgroup:

• Polycrystalline quartz (clay/siliceous)

Chemical class:

• Silicate

Subclass:

• Tectosilicate

Chemical composition :

• Silicon dioxide (+ clay and impurities)

Chemical formula :

• SiO2 (+ impurities)

Observation(s):

• Jasper can be a pseudomorph after many minerals such as Calcite, Fluorite, Barite, etc. as well as organic materials such as wood, bones, shells, corals, etc.
• Varieties too rich in clay sediments or organic matter lose the name Jasper. They are generally recognizable by their inclusions, their lower density and their hardness lower than 6.5.

Virtues common to all Jaspers:

• Anchoring.
• Treats skin disorders such as eczema, herpes, mycosis, acne, psoriasis, shingles etc.
• Treats hair disorders such as dandruff etc.

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