Ocean Jasper®
New Rock Discovery!
New Photos of Mining
Every year new rock and gem finds are brought to the Tucson Gem &
Mineral Show in Arizona. The year 2000 was no exception. I was in Tucson early,
packing my truck to go to Quartzsite when Paul Obenich of Madagascar Minerals came by and
said, "Gene, look at this new rock."
My friend Owen was with me and he saw the samples also. On the way to
Quartzsite I could not get the image of those two rocks out of my mind. I recognized the
pattern as similar to that found in a rhyolite flow. Other rocks of this type have been in
the market before, most notably Rainforest Jasper from Australia, Leopard Skin Jasper from
Mexico and the famous Poppy Jasper from California. But my brief encounter with this rock
led me to believe that it far surpassed the quality of the others. So much so that I kept
asking Owen..."Were those 2 rocks we saw coated with something or were they
polished?"
New discoveries brought to market are usually new deposits of an
already known material. It is rare indeed that a really new material is found. Ocean
Jasper fits the description of a truly new jasper.
Rhyolite is an igneous rock, rich in silica. As it cools, sometimes the
silica starts to precipitate out of the magma, forming little spherical balls. This type
of formation is easily recognizable in the aforementioned jaspers. If these balls or
"globs" of silica-rich magma are allowed to grow larger before the whole mass
becomes solid, they can crack and shrink forming what later may become Thundereggs.
Ocean Jasper has a typical rhyolite formation except that the entire
mass has somehow been converted to pure silica (agate, jasper, quartz). The descriptions
"silicated rhyolite", petrified rhyolite, or agatized rhyolite are non-sensical
but take on a generally understandable meaning when viewing this rock. To my knowledge,
there has never been a material like this available before.
The Name -- Ocean Jasper®
Paul
Obenich and I discussed at length the name of this rock. The material is characterized as
an orbicular jasper. That is because whenever a rhyolite has been found with enough silica
in it to be polished, it has been sold as a jasper. Thus the rhyolite patterns have been
associated with the word "jasper".
Ocean Jasper is an agate by the standard definition (agate being
translucent and jasper being opaque). Ocean Jasper is rarely opaque. It was decided to
call the material a jasper because rhyolitic patterns have been associated with the jasper
category in the past and because "jasper" is listed as the mineral resource in
the mining claims owned by Madagascar Minerals.
The word "Ocean" comes mainly from the location at the edge of the sea, along the northwest coast of Madagascar where the deposit was found. The forms in the rock itself are also suggestive of the bubbling surf of the sea.
The Gem Shop, Inc. has been named exclusive U.S. distributor for rough Ocean Jasper. A full page color ad has been published in the May issue (Annual Buyers' Directory) of Lapidary Journal with the following copy...
"This new rock has
been found along the northwest coast of Madagascar after years of unsuccessful searching.
The deposit formed as a rhyolite flow but has been completely silicified. The rhyolitic
eyes or orbs come in an astonishing array of colors and color combinations. The background
can be white, pink, green, red, or yellow. Botryoidal formations as well as white and deep
green druzy are also common.
Small pieces of this jasper have been brought to market over the years
but no one could identify the source until Paul Obenich organized a systematic search of
the northwest coast of Madagascar. The deposit has been discovered at the edge of the
ocean. It can only be seen and collected at low tide. The area has no road so the material
must be transported to civilization by boat. This wonderful new lapidary material is
available from The Gem Shop, Inc. through Madagascar Minerals."
Eugene Mueller, pres.
The Gem Shop, Inc.
more photos pg 2
Exclusive U.S. distributor of rough:
The Gem Shop, Inc.
W64 N723 Washington Ave
Cedarburg, WI 53012
Ph: 262-377-4666
Fx: 262-377-4804
talk2us@thegemshop.com
Mine Owners:
Madagascar Minerals
Paul Obenich
Ph: 011-261-2022 44382
Fx: 011-261-2022 45363
madminer@dts.mg
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2 Ocean Jasper Mining
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