Tiger Iron - Jasper/Quartz (Dr. B. Phillips Coll.)

Item Description

Tiger Iron is a banded ironstone rock, a combination of hematite and jasper/chert/quartz. It is found in only two places in the world, both in Western Australia (MINDAT). The color variations of the fantasically sculptural bands on the polished face of this nodule are surreal. From http://www.aradon.com.au "Tiger Iron is a unique gemstone found only in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Tiger Iron is mined from an Archaean formation (3000 million years) in the Ord Ranges, near Port Hedland in Western Australia. This combination of color and pattern is highly regarded and has helped make Tiger Iron one of Australia 's best known semi-precious gemstones. Tiger Iron is used widely in jewelry, carvings, ornaments and more recently in furniture, bench tops and floor tiles". 617 grams mass. Ex Dr. Barratt Phillips Collection.