Ocean Jasper

Country of Origin
Madagascar

Ocean Jasper was introduced to the general public in January of 2000 and comes only from one place in the world, northwestern Madagascar. Ocean Jasper is a variety of jasper which contains variably colored orbs and spherical inclusions or zones. It is a beautiful, distinct, colorful stone and is carved into different animals, spheres, bowls and smooth pieces. They called it Ocean Jasper because it resembles the waves and ripples of water and typically has spherical patterning. Because it was originally collected along the shoreline and from its name, many people believe all Ocean Jasper comes from the water. While some veins were discovered directly on the beach, the mines themselves were underground. The first Ocean Jasper mine was discovered along the shoreline, originally accessible only at low tide so it can only be seen and collected at low tide. The area has no roads, so the material must be transported to civilization by boat. It has since been played out and is getting harder and harder to find because the past inventories are running out.