05/20/2026
This little guy almost got me a warning on Etsy! How? Well this is what's called "Bumblebee Jasper" which is neither a bumblebee nor a jasper. It's actually mostly calcite with the yellows and oranges coming from sulfur compound and the blacks and grays coming from arsenic bearing minerals and manganese oxides.
Did you catch the arsenic part? This is why Etsy was like "nope sorry you can't list this, it's poison!"
Except! This mineral is perfectly safe to handle and to wear as jewelry. The only thing you shouldn't do is eat it or let your child suck on it.
Not sure why Etsy picked this particular mineral to be banned since, between you and me, I've never seen a grown adult eat a rock. (Myself as a child is a different story).
Anyway, this guy IS listed, just as plain jasper. It's waiting for someone who will appreciate its beauty without eating it!
Shop link in bio as always.