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Gallery 15: Interpretive Specimen Guide, 2021

A companion to Lieber's 2003 paper translated from German. Contains specimens from the translator's collection, as well as analysis and commentary.

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Figure 1: A closeup crop of complex chalcedony spherulites from an Ocean Jasper specimen, similar to that of Fig. 1 in Lieber. Archetypes in this specimen: 'flower-burst' spherulites, or spherically-banded spherulites with pseudomorphic crystalline quartz growth as outer 'petals'; agate-type banding; quartz druzy pockets with botryoidal chalcedony growth; flow of particulates that are likely of iron mineral content, found in many specimens from both Marovato and Kabamby. Note Lieber questioned whether these particulates were 'lepidocrocite', an iron-hydroxide mineral that is commonly found in the weathering of primary iron minerals and in iron ore deposits. I have identified another possibility for the particulate flow, which is iron-oxide and hydroxide mineral precipitates from ferrous-silica solutions. This is consistent with the theory of formation that I have presented in my published book on Ocean Jasper. Note also that this specimen, like Lieber's, has the well-defined larger spherulite type that has been more commonly associated with later mined deposits, between 2005-2006. Picture height, ~40mm.

Figure 2: Unpolished (wetted) Ocean Jasper slab, likely from early Kabamby collection sites, 2003 or earlier. This specimen is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 in Lieber. The reddish color in these specimens are from ubiquitous iron oxide/hydroxide particulates, as explained in the Figure 1 caption. I have verified by lab analysis (EDX, XRD) that Kabamby specimens are chalcedony quartz with well-defined XRD profiles and trace iron content peaks (EDX). Specimen length: ~15cm.

Figure 3: Exposed chalcedony botryoids on the edge of a translucent Ocean Jasper specimen. Botryoidal growth is a common habit in chalcedony, and a common archetype in Ocean Jasper. In other specimens, such botryoids can 'fall out' of a surrounding chalcedony matrix, leaving a spherical shell depression (concave). In such cases, botryoids (like spherulites) have a different formation period and are likely harder than the surrounding matrix. This specimen exhibits translucent chalcedony botryoids surrounding banded spherulites, a truly unique feature of Marovato Ocean Jasper. Lieber's Fig. 3 specimen has similarities. Specimen diagonal length ~40mm.

Figure 4: Interior view of two specimens of Ocean Jasper, Kabamby (shown here) and Marovato. These show the common quartz druzy growth on top of botryoidal chalcedony forms. Lieber's Fig. 4 is of a similar Kabamby specimen. Specimen widths: ~40mm (Kabamby, shown here).

Figure 4: Interior view of two specimens of Ocean Jasper, Kabamby and Marovato (shown here). These show the common quartz druzy growth on top of botryoidal chalcedony forms. Lieber's Fig. 4 is of a similar Kabamby specimen. Specimen widths: ~60mm (Marovato, shown here).

Figure 5 (Left): Closeup of a Kabamby specimen, showing multiple intermeshed spheres, several cut in the middle. Once again showing the ubiquitous iron oxide/hydroxide particulate flow common in these and Marovato specimens. Similar to Lieber's Fig. 5 (Left). Picture length ~20mm.

Figure 5 (Middle): Four different specimens showing spherulites 'swimming' in translucent chalcedony. The first three with clear chalcedony are likely from later collection finds, e.g. the two Marovato deposits ('veins 3/4') of 2013/14. The fourth (two closeups) with green chalcedony is from the earliest collection of translucent material, 1999/2000, and exhibits multiple ringed spherulites with vividly colorful nuclei that by eye show a random mixture of mineral particulates, e.g. iron oxide/hydroxide. Lieber's specimen in his Fig. 5 (Middle) is a quite rare green translucent with small (mm, sub-mm) round white/cream spherulites, and is a small closeup (10mm width). The colorful specimen shown here has much larger compound spherulites (5mm average). Translucent specimens with spherulites were reportedly found in early mined deposits, though due to the lack of cataloguing and documentation, we are largely unaware of just what types of translucents were mined, when and where. The colorful types span deposits 1-4 and are often smoothly 'connected' to, or interconnected with, semi-translucent or opaque varieties. I show an example of this in the Photo Gallery 16, and there are several examples in my book. Picture/specimen height: ~35mm.

Figure 5 (Right): Specimens showing large spherulites of coarsely crystalline quartz and a very small nucleus. The interspersed outline forms with irregular geometries are cross-sections of such coarse quartz crystals. Similar to Lieber's Fig. 5 (Right). This specimen shown here is also from an early collection (ORCA), and is a somewhat rare variety. Picture length: ~45mm.

Figure 6 (Left): Macro/closeup crop of Figure 1: A compound spherulite showing inner ring structure to a core yellowish 'nucleus', surrounded by a white transition with iron oxide/hydroxide particulates, then ring structures of finer particulates, and finally bluish-green 'fibrous' growth turning into coarser dark green quartz crystals. As mentioned previously, these compound spherulites are commonly referred to as 'flower bursts' or 'flower orbs', and are quite rare, marking the difference between high grade and ultra high grade specimens. Lieber in his Fig. 6 (Left) shows a similar, but smaller and less colorful, specimen photo. Note the ringed nucleus, particulate/ring structures and outer pseudomorphic coarser crystal growth are consistent with the theory presented in my book, namely the result of silica solution spherulite nucleation, fibrous chalcedony growth mixed with 'Liesegang' type ring formation from precipitated particulates, and at later stages coarse quartz crystal growth. Picture length: ~15mm.

Figure 6 (Right): Fine grained spherulites with multiple rings in a coarse-macro crystalline quartz matrix. Spherulites average 3-5mm size, with a few larger at 7-10mm and more complex ring structure. Similar to Lieber's Fig. 6 (Right). This indicates that these varieties were collected 2003 and earlier. Picture height: ~35mm.

Figure 7: Particulate flow amidst a line of spherulites in a polished palm stone. As mentioned previously, reddish particulates may be iron oxide/hydroxide precipitates, which are commonly found in many varieties of Ocean Jasper, such as the specimens shown in this collection set. Picture length ~50mm.

Figure 8: Three different specimens from early mined deposits. The first two show a band of smaller and interspersed spherulites amidst larger spherulites in a chalcedony matrix with reddish color provided by the flow of particulates. A third specimen shows a band of smaller spherulites in a crystalline quartz matrix. Specimen length: ~11cm.

Figure 9: Optical microscopy with crossed polarizers of Ocean Jasper thin sections (10x, 2mm), showing fibrous chalcedony growth structure, taken by Alex Strekeisen. For multiple examples, visit Alex Strekeisen's web page: http://www.alexstrekeisen.it/english/meta/oceanjasper.php. Examples similar to that in Lieber Fig. 9 are shown above.

Figure 10 (Left): Chalcedony-fine particulate flow amidst large spherulites (~8-11mm) with complex ring structure. This specimen (two closeups) is from the Marovato off-shore mines (deposits 1/2). Lieber's Fig. 10 (Left) shows matrix flow amidst spherulites in an early Kabamby specimen. Note here the white streaks are an example of 'color zoning', a ubiquitous feature of Ocean Jasper from Marovato deposits. The zoning in this specimen is due to the evident flow of particulates in silica sol-gel colloidal mixtures before the sol-gel hardened to chalcedony. In other cases (including Kabamby) color zoning can occur from post hardening staining of chalcedony. Chalcedony is quite porous and easily dyed or stained by inorganic and organic dyes, natural or unnatural. Picture lengths: ~45mm.

Figure 10 (Right): A broken band of spherulites, leaving a crack/fissure that later filled with silica solution and hardened to chalcedony, in this case including fine agate banding. This is a wonderful example of 'brecciation', a common occurrence in jaspers and some agates. Brecciation in Ocean Jasper is more common in early mined finds like this specimen from Marovato, deposit 1. The reason may be due to depth of the material mined, with later deposits deeper and structurally more solid, resisting such breaking shocks. Lieber's Fig. 10 (Right) shows a damaged/cracked spherulite that similarly backfilled with silica solution, turned to colloid sol-gel, and hardened to clear-milky chalcedony. Specimen length: ~12.5cm.

Gallery 16: Slab/Specimen Gallery 7 - Webmaster SL

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'Land and Sea': Side 1 of a scenic slab cut by ORCA from Marovato Deposit/vein 1/2. ~6.5 in. wide.

'Land and Sea': Side 2 of a scenic slab cut by ORCA from Marovato Deposit/vein 1/2. ~6.5 in. wide.

Close-up from 'Land and Sea' slab specimen. Note the ubiquity of iron oxide/hydroxide precipitate particulates, which make up the reddish colors in this specimen.

'Six Sides': The images from each side of an Ocean Jasper cube specimen, Marovato Deposit/vein 1. Each side ~40mm.

'Wild West': Side 1 of a slab specimen from Marovato Deposit/vein 1. This type of Ocean Jasper is among the earliest mined from Marovato. ~11cm wide.

'Wild West': Side 2 of a slab specimen from Marovato Deposit/vein 1. This type of Ocean Jasper is among the earliest mined from Marovato. ~11cm wide.

Close-up from 'Wild West', again showing iron oxide/hydroxide particulate flow.

'Foot Span': Three specimens that I collected from different sources. It appears that these three might be interconnected as shown, with transitions between translucent, semitranslucent and opaque areas. By using such a 'mapping' analysis tool, it is possible to reconstruct large areas of the mined deposits from Marovato Deposit/veins 1/2, that show the 'hyper-heterogeneous' complexity inherent in this material. These three specimens span a length of ~12 in.

Close-up of specimen 1 of 'Foot Span', cut by ORCA.

Close-up of specimen 2 of 'Foot Span', cut by an unknown lapidary.

Close-up of specimen 3 of 'Foot Span', cut and polished by Madagascar Minerals.

'Lost': Four different specimens (two palm stones, one small faced rough and a cab) that came from the same variety of Ocean Jasper. The cab was cut almost 18 years ago and is from a much more colorful area of this variety. The other specimens comparitively have 'muted colors' and were likely cut or polished much later, and perhaps mined later. It was reportedly common to mine and process the more colorful areas of Ocean Jasper first, with lesser color specimens left in-situ or warehoused. Faced rough length ~65mm.

'Lady Janus': Side 1 of a slab specimen from Marovato Deposit/vein 1/2. ~5 in. wide.

'Lady Janus': Side 2 of a slab specimen from Marovato Deposit/vein 1/2. ~5 in. wide.

Close-up from 'Lady Janus' slab specimen. Note again the ubiquity of iron oxide/hydroxide precipitate particulates, which make up the reddish colors in this specimen.

Gallery 17: Guest Gallery!

Cool collector specimens from Ashley Rosenn of Northwoods Hobbyist