Ocean Jasper
from Madagascar
What is Ocean Jasper?
It is believed to be formed by alteration and silicification of volcanic rhyolite tuffs. Very little research has been completed on this rock type to definitively explain its petrogenesis. The myriad of colors are due to impurities and vary depending on the location it was found.
Under the Microscope
The mystique and wildness of Madagascar, this stone’s locality, shows itself brilliantly under the microscope. The black and white tones of quartz in cross-polarized light are a striking contrast to the earthy greens, pinks, and whites that ocean jasper is known for (Quartz Totality design).
For some of our designs, we couldn’t help ourselves from sharing the lovely blue hues we found with the rarely used technique of cross-polarized reflected light microscopy. The brick- and ochre-colored specks and overtones calm the contrast a bit and remind us of the presence of iron in this stone (Phantom Eclipse). This technique is often used for identification of hematite in a sample, and it certainly worked here!
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