Gem Profile- Beautifully Colored Jasper

While working on this final jasper article, I am very aware that without writing a complete book, there is no possible way to touch on all of those that have not yet been mentioned. Therefore I will finalize this mini-series by covering some of the better known, more colorful and most interesting jaspers that we use in the wire jewelry world.

Many beautiful lapidary materials are found in Australia, but did you know that it is the only location in the world for the jasper known as Mookite or Mookaite? According to outback prospector Glenn Archer of western Australia, "The name "mookaite" is derived from the locality where the rock is dug, namely Mooka Creek. According to locals, the Aboriginal word "mooka" means "running waters," no doubt in reference to the many fresh water springs that feed Mooka Creek." Other sources claim that this vibrant material was named for a sheep station (ranch) near an abundant source of the stone, found in the Kennedy Ranges. It is also called moukaite.

Exploring the wonders of jasper, we have discovered that many varieties contain other minerals such as feldspar (forming rhyolite) and now we learn that mookite is actually a sedimentary chert (containing silica or quartz) formed of microfossils! The beautiful shades of ochre, multiple reds, and browns have no organized pattern and sometimes contain small branch like dendrite inclusions. Mookite tends to be rather brittle however, so it is normal to find self-healed fractures in the material, and it is very difficult to cut. Glenn Archer has a very interesting page on his website, sharing all of the details about the formation and mining of mookite. If you would like to learn more, please visit Outback Mookaite.

At the present time, there is an adequate supply of mookite so there really is no need for people to try to make a synthetic, however I need to mention that there is a form of rhyolite called "Wonderstone" that is often mistakenly labeled as mookite. The best way to tell the two apart is to hold the Wonderstone in your hand. If it feels very light in weight and almost like a plastic, it is probably rhyolite. If it has a glassy appearance it is mookite. The colors between the two materials differ as well with mookite colors being more rich and Wonderstone rhyolite more subtle.