Rain Forest Jasper

Rain Forest Jasper came from a molten flow of magma from the now extinct Mount Hay volcano near Queensland, Australia about 120 million years ago. The thick Rhyolitic magma that escaped from deep within the volcano was heavier and settled down through the lighter magma. As it settled towards the bottom of the mix it cooled slower, allowing the formation of spherical and phenocryst crystalline structures to form together. The final result of this unique occurrence is a Rhyolite that contains quartz and feldspar orbs or nodules. This same process also caused gas bubbles to form which when cooled, maintained their shape. These are known as "Thunder eggs", another favorite of collectors. This stone was first presented in 1986 and has grown in popularity since it's introduction to the market.

Rain Forest Jasper got it's name from the striking colors of green, red, brown, yellow, creams and oranges, reminiscent of a scene in a rain forest. Although this stone has no association with a rain forest other than its common name, Rain Forest Jasper sounds better than Spherulitic Rhyolite. Other names for this unique mineral are Rain Forest Rhyolite, Spherulitic Rhyolite, Orbicular Jasper and Marine Agate.