Reviews
5.75" Polished Bumblebee Jasper - Mount Papandayan, Indonesia
This is a 5.75" wide, high quality, polished piece of bumble bee jasper that was collected from Mount Papandayan in West Java, Indonesia. High quality bumblebee jasper like this piece is not coming out of the mine anymore. As they've worked back into the hillside the material has tended to be much lighter in color and missing the distinctive black "rings." This specimen should not be overlooked, as this quality doesn't surface often.
About Bumblebee Jasper
Bumblebee jasper is the trade name for a vibrantly colored, fibrous calcite mined exclusively from Mount Papandayan in Indonesia. It is has very distinctive yellow, orange, and black banding resembling 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 is primarily calcite and contains very little silica.
A Note On Toxicity
Many websites list bumblebee jasper as a toxic mineral since it contains realgar, which has a high arsenic content. But, in a polished state, the realgar within bumblebee jasper is not readily absorbed through the skin. Therefore it is fairly safe to handle, though we recommend washing your hands after handling just to be on the safe side.
The real danger is 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.
Bumblebee jasper is the trade name for a vibrantly colored, fibrous calcite mined exclusively from Mount Papandayan in Indonesia. It is has very distinctive yellow, orange, and black banding resembling 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 is primarily calcite and contains very little silica.
A Note On Toxicity
Many websites list bumblebee jasper as a toxic mineral since it contains realgar, which has a high arsenic content. But, in a polished state, the realgar within bumblebee jasper is not readily absorbed through the skin. Therefore it is fairly safe to handle, though we recommend washing your hands after handling just to be on the safe side.
The real danger is 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.
SPECIES
Calcite, Realgar & Pyrite
LOCATION
Mount Papandayan, West Java, Indonesia
SIZE
5.75 x 2.15 x 1.4"
CATEGORY
ITEM
#261875
