5" Realistic, Polished Chohua Jasper Skull

About Jasper

Jasper is a term that can be applied to an opaque variety of chalcedony. The opaqueness is due to a higher concentration of impurities mixed with silica/quartz compared to other varieties of silica, such as quartz or agates. Like agate it may form in a wide variety of colors, and is often multi-colored. In most cases, jasper forms when silica-rich fluids permeate throughout a soft sediment or volcanic debris deposit. The fluids then crystallize around the particles/impurities, resulting in a cementation process. Most often, the impurities present determine the coloration of the deposit following solidification, but other factors can play a role in the color of what is now considered a jasper.

Chohua jasper is a trade name for dendritic jasper. This stone is often a limestone or marble rather than a true quartz jasper, and is characterized by iron and manganese oxide inclusions that result in dendritic patterning, which has a dark, mossy appearance. The base stone may range in color from deep maroon to orange, greenish yellow, beige, or light gray, and the dendritic patterning may be very dramatic or very subtle.