rare
jaspilite
banded iron formation
The tell
Alternating stripes of red jasper and silvery-grey hematite. Very heavy for its size.
These bands recorded the oxygenation of the earth. Each red layer is iron rusting out of a suddenly oxygen-rich ocean, roughly two billion years ago.
What it gets mistaken for
- red jasper
- hematite
- BIF
- taconite
The facts
- also calledbanded iron formation
- age~1.9-2.1 billion yrs
- where it turns upSuperior float ยท Marquette, some south
- on the chartrare · 250 stickers ever
Put it on the shelf
Every stone on this chart is drawn and kiss-cut at three inches. The rarer the stone, the fewer exist: only 250 jaspilite will ever be printed, then the run is retired.
10% of every order goes to the Roscommon County Animal Shelter.