Mary Ellen Jasper
Mary Ellen Jasper is fossil stromatolite (silicified, hematite-rich), SiO2 + hematite, fossil algal structures. In the hand, it rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, and it runs raspberry red and cream. Cream and white cabbage-like fossil swirls (stromatolite domes) packed in raspberry-red hematite-rich jasper. Mary Ellen mine, Biwabik Iron Formation, Mesabi Range, Minnesota, USA.
The geology.
Mary Ellen Jasper carries the formula SiO2 + hematite, fossil algal structures. It belongs to the not applicable (fossil rock) system. Catalogues list it as fossil stromatolite (silicified, hematite-rich).
It sits at 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. The surface reads vitreous to satiny on polish. Light behaviour is opaque. Specific gravity runs 2.7 to 3.0. The streak is reddish. It breaks with uneven to conchoidal fracture.
Cream and white cabbage-like fossil swirls (stromatolite domes) packed in raspberry-red hematite-rich jasper.
It reaches buyers as polished slabs, cabochons or rough.
The origins.
Mary Ellen mine, Biwabik Iron Formation, Mesabi Range, Minnesota, USA.
On value, the database notes: mid to high; well-patterned slabs are fossil-collector crossovers.
Traditional associations.
In energy work traditions, associated with deep ancestral memory and slow, patient growth.
We keep this section because people ask. It sits below the geology on purpose, and none of it describes something the stone does.
Spotting the real thing.
Cream and white cabbage-like fossil swirls (stromatolite domes) packed in raspberry-red hematite-rich jasper.
Not faked; supply is limited since the source is an old iron-mining district, similar stromatolites from elsewhere are sold under other names.
| Looks like | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Kambaba jasper | Kambaba is green-black with dark orb centers; Mary Ellen is red and cream |
| Fossil coral | Coral shows honeycomb cells; stromatolite domes are concentric cabbage layers |
| Poppy jasper | Poppy jasper orbs are plain spherulites without layered fossil doming |
At-home tests.
Before anyone talks you into a lab report, these are the checks worth doing yourself on mary ellen jasper.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| Scratch check | Scratches glass (Mohs 6.5 to 7) |
| By eye | Concentric laminated domes visible in cut faces |
| By eye | Heavier than plain jasper when hematite-rich |
Stop short of anything that leaves a mark. A gemologist can answer the rest without damaging the stone.
Care & handling.
At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale it handles careful wear but scratches against quartz and dust. Store it separately and take rings off before rough work.
It breaks with uneven to conchoidal fracture, which is worth knowing before you set it or drop it.
Skip the ultrasonic. Lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth handle routine cleaning without risk.
A deeper look.
Extended detail on composition, sourcing, authentication and market value.
The physical record
The formula on record is SiO2 + hematite, fossil algal structures. Crystal system: Not applicable (fossil rock). Specific gravity: 2.7 to 3.0. Streak: Reddish. Cleavage and fracture: Uneven to conchoidal fracture.
How it reaches the market
Mary Ellen mine, Biwabik Iron Formation, Mesabi Range, Minnesota, USA.
What it gets confused with
Kambaba jasper: Kambaba is green-black with dark orb centers; Mary Ellen is red and cream. Fossil coral: Coral shows honeycomb cells; stromatolite domes are concentric cabbage layers. Poppy jasper: Poppy jasper orbs are plain spherulites without layered fossil doming.
What it is worth
Mid to high; well-patterned slabs are fossil-collector crossovers.
Where buyers get caught
Not faked; supply is limited since the source is an old iron-mining district, similar stromatolites from elsewhere are sold under other names.
One more thing
Those cream swirls are colonies of cyanobacteria nearly 1.9 billion years old, the little organisms that helped oxygenate Earth's early atmosphere.
An education-first guide.
We do not carry mary ellen jasper. This page exists because the question comes up and the honest answer is worth writing down, whether or not there is anything here to sell you.
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