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Agate_Angler
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Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Jan 8th, 2020 at 2:41pm
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With regards to the yellow stone. I found it on the Yellowstone river near Billings, Montana. I'm fairly certain that it is jasper with agate. What I'm really wondering is what gives the Yellow color. I've only ever found two pieces with yellow jasper, so it seems quite uncommon. Is it sulfur? Any help would be appreciated.
  

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Dennis
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #1 - Jan 8th, 2020 at 5:46pm
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Welcome to RHL Agate Angler.  Nice specimens.

Jasper is a variety of cryptocrystalline quartz and is usually red, brown, and sometimes yellow.  Agate is actually a jasper, with varietal names that describe its color patterns, mossy appearance, etc.

The whitish pieces in your picture is Chalcedony, another varietal name for white, pinkish, or bluish cryptocrystalline quartz. The piece on the far right looks like a water worn Chalcedony rose.  Chalcedony of this type can often have a greenish color under UV light.

Thanks for sharing.

Dennis

  
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JoeM
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #2 - Jan 8th, 2020 at 6:16pm
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Yes those are nice specimens! That yellow jasper is some of the "gemmiest" stuff I've seen in a while,(forever)! Beautiful piece. Find some more of that! Wink
But, to add to what Dennis was saying and address your question,
the clear to white-ish pieces of chalcedony you are finding could be called "pure" chalcedony, or "natural" chalcedony. And do check it for fluorescence. It should fluoresce an electric green.
Colors in agate and jaspers are caused by mineral inclusions in the mix. Yellows, rads, and browns often come from Iron oxides.
Here's a quote from "The Quartz Page.com" in the Agate Section,
"The color is caused by various embedded minerals, of which iron oxides and hydroxides are most common, giving yellow, brown and red colors. A "pure" agate is white, gray or blue-gray. "

But, Dennis, I have never in my life heard anyone ever say,
"  Agate is actually a jasper, ". I would love to hear the rationale and reasoning for that statement! Huh
  
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Dennis
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #3 - Jan 8th, 2020 at 8:51pm
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Joe,

As I was trying to think of forms of cryptocrystaline quartz my mind was churning and I remember seeing banded agate that was mostly red, yellow, and brown bands.  Technically, that would be jasp-agate, I guess.

  They're all SiO2 scientifically, with varietal names given by lapidarists and gemologists based on color causing elements.  Sorry for the confusion.

Dennis
  
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #4 - Jan 8th, 2020 at 9:36pm
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Joe and Dennis,

Thank you for the wisdom! I'm going to have to look into a Fluorescent light source to check for that electric green color. I'm absolutely entranced by these rocks. Nothing beats going out and looking. You never know what you'll find. Joe I do have one smaller piece of the Yellow jasper with some red and green mixed in as well. I'll try to post a picture of that as well if I get a chance.
  
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JoeM
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #5 - Jan 8th, 2020 at 10:43pm
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Gotcha, Dennis. I understand completely.
As always, thank you for the help. Smiley

Alex, You got the rock-bug bad, and we here on the Lounge think that's a very good thing!   Cool
  
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Agate_Angler
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #6 - Jan 8th, 2020 at 11:08pm
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Joe,

I certainly do. I'm sure I'll be looking for more help soon!
  
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #7 - Jan 9th, 2020 at 9:51am
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Here is that other piece of Yellow Jasper. I just love it. Never been polished or tumbled.
  

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JoeM
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #8 - Jan 9th, 2020 at 7:25pm
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Very pretty Yeller! Keep an eye out for more of that!
Thanks for the pic.
  
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #9 - Feb 11th, 2020 at 5:52am
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Think of Chalcedony as pure Agate with no minerals for color.   Chalcedony is composed of Cryptocrystalline silica but it is not all Quartz though it is all SiO2.
In minerology some minerals have more than one crystal form(habit) and the crystal shape make a difference in its physical properties.   Chalcedony is composed of Moganite and Quarts.
Moganite is SiO2 crystalized in the monoclinic crystal system.   
See  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moganite
Quartz is also SiO2 crystalized is the Hexagonal system.
Chalcedony is very fine crystals of these two minerals intertwined in a 3-d matrix.   That is what gives chalcedony its Luster (Waxy, vitreous, dull, greasy, silky).

Jasper is micro crystaline and composed of small spheres of silica.   A different internal structure but chemically the same.   Jasper can also have a high content of chalcedony so sometimes it is hard to differentiate from agate.

BTW the yellow color in the above is most likely Iron of the limonite variety
  
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #10 - Feb 11th, 2020 at 2:19pm
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Welcome to the Board, RMF!
That is a very clear, correct, and concise explanation.
Thanks for the help!
Joe
  
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Re: Yellow Jasper and Agate?
Reply #11 - Feb 28th, 2020 at 9:31pm
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Chalcedony is the product of hydro--thermal springs, jasper is dirty chalcedony, If the temperature  is consistent for along enough and the supply of silicated water sufficient you will get drussy quartz or fieldquartz(xtals 1/4 of an inch. In the Baltimore area there are two remnants of this type of formation. These sites also have metamorphic  minerals;clorite and small grain sized pyrite . I have a specimen of jasper that has both of these as inclusions. The odd thing about one site is that only red and yellow jasper is to be found.
  
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