Bumblebee Jasper For Sale

Bumblebee jasper or Bumblebee stone are trade names for a vibrantly colored, fibrous calcite mined exclusively from Mount Papandayan in Indonesia. It has very distinctive yellow, orange and black banding that resembles the color patterns of a bumblebee, hence the name. The orange and yellow colors are mainly caused by finely dispersed realgar while the black bands are caused by pyrite. Technically it is not a jasper as it contains no silica, but the name has stuck.

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Minerals & Crystals

$2 - $27,500

Is Bumblebee Jasper Actually Jasper?

Jasper by definition is primarily composed of silica. Tests of the stone using x-ray diffraction analysis show that it is mostly calcite and contains no silica. So no, it is not a jasper and it would be more technically correct to just refer to it as bumblebee stone.

Is Bumblebee Jasper Toxic?

Many websites list bumblebee jasper as a toxic mineral as it contains realgar which itself has a high arsenic content. But, the realgar with bumblebee jasper is in a polished state is not be readily absorbed through the skin. The real danger would be to anyone cutting or polishing the stone or handling raw, unpolished bumblebee jasper. The dust created could easily be inhaled or ingested which would pose a serious health risk.

Where Is Bumble Jasper Found?

Bumblebee stone is known to only form in one specific location which wasn’t discovered until the 1990’s. It is on the active volcano, Mount Papandayan, in west Java, Indonesia, that bumblebee jasper is collected. As of the current date, this is the only location to find bumblebee jasper, though one could conjecture that similar, geologic environments would produce similar stones.

How Does Bumblebee Jasper Form?

Given that bumblebee stone forms on an active volcano, the formation process is not that surprising. Porous volcanic rock is filled with deposited calcite, realgar, pyrite and, potentially, sulfur. Over a period of time, intense heat and high pressure, the association of minerals solidify into the stone that is referred to as bumblebee jasper.

Featured Photos

Polished Bumblebee Jasper Section - Indonesia #124375

Polished, Bumblebee Jasper Oval Cabochon - Indonesia #194736

BUMBLEBEE JASPER FOR SALE

Is Bumblebee Jasper Actually Jasper?

Is Bumblebee Jasper Toxic?

Where Is Bumble Jasper Found?

How Does Bumblebee Jasper Form?

Featured Photos