Yellow jasper is an opaque, microcrystalline variety of quartz often colored by iron oxide inclusions. It is frequently found in massive, concretionary, or brecciated forms and is highly sought after by lapidaries for its ability to take a high polish.
Is this yellow 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 yellow jasper with a known reference. Yellow 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. Yellow Jasper leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Yellow Jasper typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: yellow, mustard, ochre, brownish-yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Yellow Jasper vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside yellow jasper
Minerals reported to co-occur with yellow 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
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative, Ornamental
- Host rock
- Sedimentary
- Typical price
- $5-30 per specimen
Where rockhounds find yellow jasper
4 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- USA
- Russia
- Madagascar
- India
- Australia
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary country — that is the host setting where yellow 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 North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify yellow jasper?+
Where is yellow jasper found?+
Can I find yellow jasper in the United States?+
How much is yellow jasper worth?+
What rocks look like yellow jasper?+
What minerals are found with yellow jasper?+
What kind of rock does yellow jasper form in?+
What is yellow jasper used for?+
Find yellow jasper on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
