Tag Archives: Jasper

Mushroom Rhyolite/Mushroom Jasper

Several years ago I purchased an amazing Mushroom Jasper/Rhyolite slab at the Tucson Gem Shows. I was attracted by the bright orange of the matrix , and the amazing gray, Perlite “Mushrooms” floating like gardens in the Silica matrix. Much of Mushroom Jasper, if it has a matrix color, it is redish hues, and not bright orange.

Mushroom Jasper’s source is NW of Phoenix on BLM land. My sources testify that it is very difficult to cut through all the bureaucracy to even get a permit to mine for it. In general, it is a money losing proposition, digging for this Ryolite.

Mushroom Ryolite/Mushroom Jasper looks like Mushroom Gardens floating in the matrix.

As is my norm at the Tucson Shows, I shipped large flat rate boxes back to Michigan, full of goodies purchased at the shows. Try as I will I just can’t seem to organize all my rocks as I should. This Mushroom Jasper/Ryolite slab was relegated to a drawer in my slab cabinet. The Steel cabinet has about 50 or more drawers containing assorted slabs, ready to cut, shape, and polish. Long story short, this beautiful Rhyolite was covered by other slabs, and forgotten.

Rhyolite is an extrusive igneous rock formed when the magma rapidly erupted from a volcano, and is cooled rapidly on the surface, rather then cooling slowly underground. There are many forms of Rhyolite including Rain Forest Jasper, Butterfly Jasper, and Obsidian. Those mentioned are attractive, but Pumice is also a Rhyolite, and not a jewelry stone.

Ten years later, while rooting through the drawers I reconnected with the Mushroom Jasper, and immediately took it to my shop for cutting. This cutting produced one of the most amazing cabochons I’ve ever produced.

Last year I loaded some trays filled with cabs that I thought I might work on while “suffering” as a snowbird in Florida. Subsequently, I chose the Rhyolite one day, repolished it, and wrapped it in Argentium Silver.

impressive in every way with triple pulls of wire around the edges. Anyone that wears this can expect loads of complements,

Since the cab was 2 3/4″ X 1 1/2″ is a good sized cabochon, for an eye catching Pendant. After a few hours of careful wrapping, a gorgeous pendant, meticulously wrapped in Argentium Sterling was produced.

Even the back looks spectacular!

I used three times the precious metal wire I normally use for a pendant. This stone demanded the extra attention. Rhyolite is not an uncommon stone, but what I was working on, was an uncommonly attractive Mushroom Rhyolite Cabochon.

Here’s a link to the Orange Mushroom Pendant, if you’re interested.

Wirecrafting New Stone Pendants

Montana Moss chock full of Dedrites.

Montana Moss Agate chock full of Dendrites. This one is called "Snow Swirl".

Montana Moss Agate Pendant I called Foggy Marsh.

Montana Moss Agate Pendant I called "Foggy Bog".

I have been very busy this last month. Internet business has been brisk, and I have been posting up many new pendants. If you haven’t checked recently, you should have a look. Christmas is coming up fast. Every year someone (guys in general) will call three days before Christmas wanting something immediately. We prefer not to rush the USPS! I can send things out overnight service, but cannot guarantee the USPS, especially during the holiday rush. Overnight here often means 2 days.

I made a couple of new Montana Moss Agate Pendants within the past week. I love Moss Agate, and as you may know there are many different varieties. The “Moss” in these agates is not actually some sort of petrified moss, but is inclusions of Manganese, Iron, or other minerals that formed moss or fern-like structures within the Quartz agate. These inclusions are called Dendrites.

Careful, and often thin, cutting can really enhance these organic looking inclusions. I’ve ruined more than a few of these moss agates learning proper cutting. It’s worth learning when you see a virtual garden of “Moss” in what looks like a fantastic picture of what you might see in a real-life landscape, or underwater vista.

I called this Fire Agate "Fire Nebula"

I called this Fire Agate "Fire Nebula"

Sometimes I come across a very beautiful Fire Agate with deep botroidal pattern and a rainbow of colors. These are again very tricky to cut, as the “fire” forms in a micro-thin layer on the bubbly looking inclusions in brown quartz. If you cut too deep, there goes the fire; if you cut too shallow the brown quartz will disguise the true colors under it. There is really a fine line between taking off too much or too little. There are Lapidarists who specialize in Fire Agate only.

Poppy Jasper

Poppy Jasper

Poppy Jasper is increasingly rare orbicular jasper. It is a brecciated jasper, meaning it probably came from sun-dried and oxidized iron-rich clay. The cracks were filled in by other substances, in the case with these; Agate. I cut two pendants from a fine piece that Bonnie found when cleaning (or rather rooting) around in our barn.


I added a pair of garnets to the top of this one.

I added a pair of garnets to the top of this one.

Isle Royale Greenstone is our best seller, so I thought a couple new creations would be in order.

Greenstone lillypads afloat in Natrolite.

Greenstone lillypads afloat in Natrolite.

You may think you’ve seen this Natrolite and Greenstone before. You almost have! I posted the opposite half in my November blog.

Just a really fine Greenstone.

Just a really fine Greenstone. I called this one "Day to Dinner"

The other new Keweenaw beauty is simply a very nicely patterned Greenstone Pendant.

Bonnie says I must make Christmas Jewelry, so I guess I have to get to it. I’ll show you later.

Some of these pendants in this blog are for sale and linked to the shopping cart. Just click on the picture and have a look. If nothing happens, the pendant is spoken for, but get ahold of me and I’ll make a similar one for you.