Kathy Taylor, age 13, of Hattesburg, Miss., for her question:

WHERE DO WE GET JASPER?

Jasper is a mixture of quartz and iron oxide. It can be formed in colors of white, red, yellow, brown and black. Sometimes these colors are arranged in layers in the rock. The most beautiful varieties of jasper come from Siberia, Greece, India, Turkey and Poland.

Jasper is very hard. It takes a high polish and is often used for mantels, pillars and other fancy interior design furnishings. Fine grades of jasper are also polished into very valuable gems.

Jasper is mentioned in the Bible. In Exodus 39:13 there is a report of a jasper breastplate of the Jewish High Priest.

Ancient Greeks and Romans believed that jasper could heal many illnesses and draw the poison from snake bites.

The North American Indians used a jasper like stone called flint to make arrowheads.