This older guy at a rest stop near Sedona showed me a trick for spotting jasper

He was just sitting there with a pile of rocks, and when I asked, he said 'look for the waxy shine, not just the color.' He picked up a plain looking brown one and sure enough, it had that greasy luster. Anyone know other easy tells for common stones like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

mila_craig42mo ago

That waxy shine is actually called vitreous luster.

-1

sam_anderson10d ago

Glad you two are onto this... it's funny how once you learn one of those geology terms you start seeing the pattern everywhere. @park.iris bet your river stones have all sorts of lusters you didn't notice before.

spencer66410d ago

Two summers ago I found a chunk of obsidian near a dried-up creek bed in Oregon and that was the first time I really noticed vitreous luster up close. That glassy shine is so distinct compared to the dull matte finish you see on common rocks like sandstone or shale. Your mileage may vary but once you know the term it's hard not to spot it on everything from old bottles to polished stones.

park.iris2mo ago

Totally thought it was just called being polished or glossy. I used to describe my favorite river stones that way. Now I know that exact glassy look has its own name. Makes me want to go sort through my little collection again with the right word in mind.