RocksdayJasper vs Limonite
How to tell them apart
Opaque, impurity-rich microcrystalline quartz. Iron oxides give the classic brick red, but jasper comes in nearly every earthy color and pattern.
Photo: Tommy from Arad, CC BY 2.0
A rusty mixture of hydrated iron oxides, not a single mineral. It forms where iron-rich rocks weather.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Hardness: Jasper is clearly harder: Mohs 6.5–7 versus 4–5.5.
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Jasper leaves a white streak; Limonite leaves yellowish brown.
Key differences
- Jasper is much harder.
Side by side
| Property | Jasper | Limonite |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineraloid |
| Mohs hardness | 6.5–7 | 4–5.5 |
| Luster | Dull to waxy | Earthy to dull |
| Streak | White | Yellowish brown |
| Colors | Red, Brown, Yellow, Green | Brown, Yellow, Orange |
| Crystal system / structure | Microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony) | Amorphous mixture |
| Specific gravity | 2.5–2.9 | 2.7–4.3 |
| Formula | SiO₂ + impurities | FeO(OH)·nH₂O |
| Found in | Oregon and Idaho; India | Bogs and weathered iron deposits worldwide |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify jasper
- Completely opaque, even at thin edges.
- Solid earthy colors, often red, sometimes patterned.
- Hard — scratches glass.
- Smooth, curved fracture surfaces.
Crystal system: Microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony)
Full Jasper guide →How to identify limonite
- Rusty yellow-brown, earthy masses.
- Yellowish-brown streak.
- Often fills holes or replaces pyrite cubes.
Structure: Amorphous mixture
Full Limonite guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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