Mokait

Mokait

Mokait is a little-known mineral with warm colors. With this name, we define a variety of radiolarite or jasper found in Australia. The sources are not consistent as to its classification, however, we can find the attribution of mokait to jaspers much more often than to radiolarites. Its name comes from the name of the Mooka station where it was found. This mineral can only be found within the Kennedy Bands in Western Australia, which makes the mineral quite rare.

Properties of mokait

This mineral takes many colors from white and sunny yellow, through orange, to blood red, maroon and warm brown. Shades of pink and purple in these minerals are also possible, but they are much rarer. Its hardness on the Mohs scale is defined between 6 and 7. It is the average hardness of decorative stones. So we can conclude that the strength and durability of the mokait will be similar to those properties in the more popular agates or jaspers.

Mokait is a completely opaque mineral. After polishing, it shines with a glassy and fairly persistent shine. The colors of the mokaitas interweave with each other in the stone structure in an irregular way, thanks to which these stones have unique and very interesting patterns.

Mokait blanks

Mokait usually comes in warm colors, reminiscent of the first dyes known to mankind. It combines perfectly with wood, strings and natural straps. Moreover, it looks great in combination with gold, copper and antique bronze blanks.

Mokait findings are most often round beads. However, the stone is also cut into other shapes of beads, such as teardrops, casings, and even geometric beads. Chips and cabochons made of this unusual mineral are also popular.