Golden Jasper is an opaque, microcrystalline variety of quartz characterized by rich mustard-yellow and golden-brown hues often featuring intricate banding or mottling. It is a highly durable material popular in lapidary for cabochons and decorative carvings due to its ability to take a high polish. Collectors typically find it in sedimentary deposits where silica-rich fluids have replaced or filled voids in host rock.

Hardness

6.5-7

Mohs

Luster

Waxy

Streak

White

Transparency

Opaque

mineralcommonQuartz family

Golden Jasper

Hardness: 6.5-7
Luster: Waxy
Streak: White
Transparency: Opaque

Is this golden jasper?

5-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch golden jasper with a known reference. Golden Jasper sits at Mohs 6.5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Check the streak
Drag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
3
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: waxy.
4
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: yellow, gold, brown, mustard.
5
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.

Often confused with

Golden Jasper vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

Often found alongside golden jasper

Minerals reported to co-occur with golden jasper. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: SiO₂
Mohs hardness: 6.5-7
Density: 2.58-2.91 g/cm³
Colors: Yellow Gold BrownMustard
Streak: White
Luster: Waxy
Transparency: Opaque
Crystal system: Trigonal
Crystal habit: Massive
Cleavage: None
Rarity: Common
Uses: Lapidary, Decorative, Collector
Host rock: sedimentary

Where rockhounds find golden jasper

1 mapped spots

Classic worldwide localities

Madagascar
USA
Egypt
India

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: sedimentary. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, hematite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Tennessee. Start trip planning there.

Browse 1 U.S. spots for golden jasper →

More golden jasper photos

Common questions

How do you identify golden jasper?+

Mohs hardness is 6.5-7. Luster: waxy. The streak is white. Common colors include yellow, gold, brown, mustard.

Where is golden jasper found?+

Notable localities include Madagascar; USA; Egypt; India.

Can I find golden jasper in the United States?+

RockHoundR maps 1 golden jasper rockhounding spots across 1 U.S. states. The top states are Tennessee.

What rocks look like golden jasper?+

Golden Jasper is most often confused with Chert, Agate, Chalcedony. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with golden jasper?+

Golden Jasper commonly co-occurs with Quartz, Chalcedony, Hematite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does golden jasper form in?+

Where it forms: sedimentary. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is golden jasper used for?+

Golden Jasper is used in lapidary, decorative, collector.

Find golden jasper on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.