PICTURE JASPER
Mineral Class: Chalcedony
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Hardness: 6.5 - 7
Luster: Vitreous
Diaphaneity: Opaque
Colors: Brown, Yellow, White, Red
Symbolizes: Past
Source: Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Madagascar, Uruguay, and USA
Picture Jasper is an opaque stone of the microcrystalline Quartz variety. What sets this stone apart is its extraordinary banding or veining which is created by silicate or petrified mud that dripped into gas pockets in molten lava. Picture Jasper’s remarkable colors are because of its high iron content and the level of minerals and impurities present in the stone.
It has different shades of brown, so that you get a stone that’s brown with some blue, black, tan, or ivory shades present as well. When cut or polished, this stone can show very detailed images on its surface that look much like scenes or pictures. Picture Jasper is one of the most sought-after stones in the world. It is a beautiful form of Brown Jasper and can be described by its excellent and seemingly landscape-like patterns on its surface, formed over time by nature.