Mineral of the Month

MINERAL OF THE MONTH

July 2010 – Mookaite Jasper

Mookaite jasper is a sedimentary rock formed when ancient sea bed sediment was jasperized into a mottled and beautiful quartz rock. This decorative rock, which is often used in jewelry, has truly beautiful patterns. It is only found in Australia and has the same earthy colors as those used by Aborigines in their art work. It is fossiliferous made up of the skeletal remains of radiolaria that had skeletal structures made of opaline silica. Billions of their remains were deposited as sediment in the shallow areas of ancient sea beds. When the sea levels declined, the sediments were cemented into solid rock by additional silica carried in groundwater. Colors were added by the remains of other marine organisms as well as minerals in the water. Mookaite includes various forms of silica including jasper, chert and chalcedony. Although most Mookaite contains just the chemical remains of the radiolaria, occasionally impressions of ammonites and other organisms have also been preserved.

Mookaite jasper (also known as mookite, mookalite, mookerite, moakite, moukalite and moukaite) is named after Mooka Creek which is located in the Kennedy Range near Gascoyne Junction, about 100 miles inland from the coastal town of Carnarvon in Western Australia.

This is a popular jasper because of its extreme range in color. It can include many bright colors including red, purple, tan, snow white, ivory white, pink, gold, black, and yellow.

Metaphysical Properties

Mookaite is an extremely soothing stone and can help to relieve stress, tension, and the negative effects of emotional trauma. It can help you to regroup when life gets complex and can also help to enhance strength and endurance to positively affect wellbeing. Some believe that it helps to stimulate youthful exuberance, which in turn can help to slow the aging process. It can also promote courage to help you to face new challenges. Mookaite's healing powers can benefit glandular, digestive, circulatory, and immune systems.

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