The facts
What mookaite actually is
The species behind mookaite is chalcedony / radiolarite, SiO₂ (silicified radiolarian sediment); it forms in the trigonal (cryptocrystalline) system.
Iron oxides and hydroxides giving mustard, burgundy and cream mottling is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.530–1.539 (spot ~1.54) and a specific gravity of about 2.50–2.70, with none cleavage.
Where mookaite comes from
Commercial material comes from Mooka Creek, Kennedy Range, Western Australia.
One source only — which is unusual, and which means an origin claim naming anywhere else is either a mistake or a different material.
How mookaite is treated
Untreated; some porous material is resin-stabilised for cutting. Named for a single Western Australian locality, so material sold as mookaite from elsewhere is misdescribed.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What mookaite is confused with
Watch for Jasper, Ocean jasper and Dyed chalcedony — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.530–1.539 (spot ~1.54) and specific gravity 2.50–2.70 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What mookaite is used for
The trades that buy mookaite are jewellery, carving and sculpture, decorative objects, architecture and interiors and mineral collecting. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the block or by the piece.
Durability and care
Hardness 6.5–7; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What mookaite costs
Expect roughly $0.20–4/ct, depending on quality.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is mookaite treated, and how?
Untreated; some porous material is resin-stabilised for cutting. Named for a single Western Australian locality, so material sold as mookaite from elsewhere is misdescribed.
Where does mookaite come from?
Mooka Creek, Kennedy Range, Western Australia. That is the only commercial source.
Is mookaite hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does mookaite cost?
Indicatively $0.20–4/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is mookaite confused with?
Most often Jasper, Ocean jasper and Dyed chalcedony. A refractive index of 1.530–1.539 (spot ~1.54) and a specific gravity near 2.50–2.70 separate it quickly.
What is mookaite used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, decorative objects, architecture and interiors and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for mookaite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about mookaite