Red jasper is an opaque, microcrystalline variety of quartz, colored red by iron oxide impurities. It typically forms in massive, fine-grained deposits and is highly valued by lapidary artists for its ability to take a high, glass-like polish.
Is this red jasper?
5-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 red jasper with a known reference. Red Jasper sits at Mohs 6.5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Red Jasper leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Red Jasper typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, red-brown, brick red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Red Jasper vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Red Jasper is noticeably harder (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 2-2.5); streak differs, so Red Jasper leaves white, Cinnabar leaves scarlet; luster reads vitreous on Red Jasper and adamantine on Cinnabar.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Red Jasper and vitreous to waxy on Carnelian.
Often found alongside red jasper
Minerals reported to co-occur with red 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
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Decorative, Collector
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Veins and Nodules
- Typical price
- $5-50 for hand-sized pieces or polished stones
Where rockhounds find red jasper
11 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- India
- Madagascar
- South Africa
- USA
- Brazil
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary veins and nodules country, the host setting where red jasper typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, hematite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Arizona, Oregon, Georgia. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find red jasper on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
