Mary Ellen Jasper is a silicified stromatolite fossil found in the Mesabi Range of Minnesota, famously dating back over two billion years. It is highly prized by lapidary enthusiasts for its intricate, often swirling patterns of red hematite and black iron oxides set against a silica matrix.
Is this mary ellen jasper?
3-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch mary ellen jasper with a known reference. Mary Ellen Jasper sits at Mohs 6.5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: waxy.
- 3Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, brown, black, white.
Often confused with
Mary Ellen Jasper vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside mary ellen jasper
Minerals reported to co-occur with mary ellen jasper. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7
- Density
- 2.6 g/cm³
- Luster
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- sedimentary
Where rockhounds find mary ellen jasper
6 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Mesabi Range, Minnesota, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sedimentary. If you start seeing hematite, goethite in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Michigan. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify mary ellen jasper?+
Where is mary ellen jasper found?+
Can I find mary ellen jasper in the United States?+
What rocks look like mary ellen jasper?+
What minerals are found with mary ellen jasper?+
What kind of rock does mary ellen jasper form in?+
What is mary ellen jasper used for?+
Find mary ellen jasper on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
