Mookaite's geological name is Windalia Radiolarite which is a fine grained, silicified and multi-coloured, radiolarian siltstone, found in outcrops principally on Mooka Station, a sheep farm of around 700,000 acres on the west side of Kennedy Range in Western Australia. The Kennedy Range itself is located approximately ninety miles east of Carnarvon and twenty five miles to the north west of Gascoyne Junction, a small town of around sixty inhabitants.
The name Mookaite is derived from the locality where the rock is found, namely Mooka Creek and according to locals, the Aboriginal word "mooka" means "running waters" in reference to the many fresh water springs that feed Mooka Creek.
Mookaite which is a variety of Jasper, is often incorrectly spelt and/or referred to as Mookite, Mookalite, Mookerite, Mook, Mook Jasper, Moukaite, Moakite, Moukalite, Mokite and Mouakite just to name a few! The various colours seen in Mookaite are as a result of differing amounts of iron and manganese contamination within the rock.
On Mohs scale of mineral hardness, Mookaite measures between 6 and 7 so it's an ideal gemstone to use in jewellery.
Further reading:
Mookaite
Mookaite
Our collection of Mookaite jewellery
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