The facts
What pipestone actually is
The species behind pipestone is a fine-grained red argillite - a metamorphosed clay-rich sediment - soft enough to carve with a knife, Pyrophyllite, diaspore, muscovite and kaolinite, coloured by hematite; it forms in the aggregate system.
Finely dispersed hematite gives the brick red; pale spots are unpigmented clay 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 specific gravity of about 2.65-2.90, with none; carves cleanly in any direction cleavage.
Where pipestone comes from
Commercial material comes from Pipestone National Monument, Pipestone County, Minnesota, USA - the classic catlinite quarry, Sioux Quartzite horizon, South Dakota and Wisconsin, USA and Ohio and Arizona (related pipestones of different composition).
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How pipestone is treated
Untreated; traditionally sealed with beeswax or animal fat after carving. LEGAL AND CULTURAL: quarrying at Pipestone National Monument is reserved by federal law to enrolled members of federally recognised Native American tribes, and the stone has deep ceremonial significance. Material sold commercially should be traceable to a licensed Native quarrier; 'catlinite' sold cheaply online is often unrelated red argillite or dyed stone. This is a case where cultural provenance is part of the honest description.
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 pipestone is confused with
Watch for Red argillite and mudstone from other sources, Dyed soapstone and Resin castings — these are what turn up sold under this name.
Because the material is opaque, refractive index is no help. Specific gravity around 2.65-2.90, hardness of 2.5-3, streak and magnification do the work instead.
What pipestone is used for
The trades that buy pipestone are carving and sculpture, decorative objects 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 block, by the piece or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 2.5-3; cleavage none; carves cleanly in any direction. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What pipestone costs
Expect roughly $20-80 per kilogram for authentic quarried stone; carved pipes and objects $100-2,000 and up for documented Native work, 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 pipestone treated, and how?
Untreated; traditionally sealed with beeswax or animal fat after carving. LEGAL AND CULTURAL: quarrying at Pipestone National Monument is reserved by federal law to enrolled members of federally recognised Native American tribes, and the stone has deep ceremonial significance. Material sold commercially should be traceable to a licensed Native quarrier; 'catlinite' sold cheaply online is often unrelated red argillite or dyed stone. This is a case where cultural provenance is part of the honest description.
Where does pipestone come from?
Pipestone National Monument, Pipestone County, Minnesota, USA - the classic catlinite quarry, Sioux Quartzite horizon, South Dakota and Wisconsin, USA and Ohio and Arizona (related pipestones of different composition). Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is pipestone hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2.5-3 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does pipestone cost?
Indicatively $20-80 per kilogram for authentic quarried stone; carved pipes and objects $100-2,000 and up for documented Native work. 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 pipestone confused with?
Most often Red argillite and mudstone from other sources, Dyed soapstone and Resin castings. Since the material is opaque, separation relies on specific gravity near 2.65-2.90, hardness and magnification.
What is pipestone used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, decorative objects and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for pipestone?
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 pipestone