Jasper and agate are varieties of chalcedony, which is a form of microcrystalline quartz. Structurally, they share similarities due to their common composition but they differ in their appearance and formation.
Jasper typically appears as opaque, dense, and
often colored by various mineral impurities. Its structure consists of tightly
packed microcrystalline quartz grains, often intergrown with other minerals
like iron oxides, which give it its distinctive colors and patterns.
Agate, on the other hand, is often characterized by
a banded appearance. It forms in concentric layers within cavities of rocks,
such as volcanic rocks or sedimentary formations. These layers are composed of
alternating microcrystalline quartz and other minerals.
There is also a less cerebral, “backyard” way to tell
the difference between jasper and agate. If you place a light behind your specimen
and you can see light pushing through it, then it’s agate; if the specimen
blocks light, you are looking at jasper.
—Mitchell Hegman
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