Jasper is a speckled or spotted crystalline form
impure variety of silica that comes in all sorts of colours such red, yellow, brown, green and sometimes even
blue. The colours and patters are completely natural formed due to the minerals
in the crystal such as iron inclusions giving
red (for ferric) and green (ferrous) colour. The mineral breaks with a
smooth surface, and is used as ornamentals or gemstones.
Now I'm a materials person (no not a material girl but a materials engineering girl) and rocks, stones and a lot of materials excite me, especially dissecting them to micro scale…
I did some research on these lovely stones and I found that there are a wide variety of natural patterns and colours that these Jaspers come in, such as the Chinese Painting Stones. These stones carry several names like Chinese Picture Jasper, Grass and Flower Stone, and Suiseki Guohua Stone (meaning Landscape Picture Stone). Technically they are dendritic (branch like) siltstones, formed in the same way as other normal Jaspers, generally without the silica.
They are sedimentary rocks and the colours are dependent on the minerals in the area where they were formed.
As you can tell, I was so intrigued and fascinated that I bought one for my mom, who shares equal interest in natural and unique things, for mother's day. Here is a Chinese painting Jasper pendant from Winchester gifts fair gift packed for the most incredible and talented person I've ever known…
A major factor in naturally designing these stones (by nature) is as the silt from rivers and lakes settle the water enriched with various minerals such as manganese, iron, and sometimes even volcanic ashes, flow and trickle down the dendritic fissures and little cracks, and the bent planes between layers of silt, limestone and other rock sediments . Once the patters are formed, they are embedded permanently by heat and pressure, hardening into rock over millions of years into what is actually petrified mud or siltstone. Because of the treelike features, these dendritic mineral patterns are sometimes so amazing that they have often been mistaken for fossil plants.
Anyway, hope you learnt something new about our fascinating mother nature and enjoyed it as much as I :D
Till next till…
A FINE FAREWELL!
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