An opaque, impure variety of quartz, of red, yellow, and other dull colors, breaking with a smooth surface. It admits of a high polish, and is used for vases, seals, snuff boxes, etc. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped jasper or banded jasper. The Egyptian pebble is a brownish yellow jasper.

A variety of colored chert, typically red or green and often found in association with iron ores. Jasper is frequently used as a gemstone or in the production of ornaments.

a colloquial term for some varieties of chert. Usually refers to dark red or dull-green, fine-grained, semi-translucent banded materials.

A fine-grained quartz, jasper is opaque and most commonly exhibits a brownish-red color, but it can also appear in green, yellow, brown or black. On Mohs’ scale of hardness, jasper is 6.5-7. Primary sources include Egypt, Australia, Brazil, India, Canada, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Russia, Uruguay, and the United States. (See Jasper Facts.) (Note: Sources listed in order of primary and secondary deposits.)