Jasper

Jasper is a dense, fine-grained sedimentary mineral. It gets its colour from red, brown and black oxides of manganese and other minerals. Jaspers can be uniform in colour or have a riband (striped), striated, orbicular (containing "eyes") or other pattern. In the Urals experts distinguish over 200 types of jasper that take their names from the places where they occur.

Kalkan jasper, a grey and grey-green variety, is mined in large blocks in the southern Urals (Mount Sabinda on the shore of Lake Kalkan). With its austerely noble colouring, this jasper is better suited than any other Urals stone for extremely fine ornamental carving.