The facts
What tiger Iron actually is
Tiger Iron is classified as banded iron formation (chalcedony + hematite), with the composition SiO₂ + Fe₂O₃. It crystallises in the aggregate rock system.
Colour comes from interlayered golden tiger's eye, red jasper and metallic hematite, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.530–1.539 (silica bands). Specific gravity around 2.80–3.60. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where tiger Iron comes from
Tiger Iron is produced at Hamersley Range, Western Australia and Ord Range, Western Australia.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How tiger Iron is treated
Untreated. Wide SG range reflects variable hematite content, so the value on a given piece depends on its banding proportions.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What tiger Iron is confused with
In the trade tiger Iron is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Tiger's eye, Hematite or Banded jasper.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.530–1.539 (silica bands) and specific gravity 2.80–3.60 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What tiger Iron is used for
Demand for tiger Iron comes from carving and sculpture, decorative objects, architecture and interiors, jewellery and mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the block, by the piece or by the square metre.
Durability and care
Tiger Iron is 6–7 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
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 tiger Iron costs
As a guide, tiger Iron trades around $0.20–4/ct.
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 tiger Iron treated, and how?
Untreated. Wide SG range reflects variable hematite content, so the value on a given piece depends on its banding proportions.
Where does tiger Iron come from?
Hamersley Range, Western Australia and Ord Range, Western Australia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is tiger Iron hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6–7 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 tiger Iron 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 tiger Iron confused with?
Most often Tiger's eye, Hematite and Banded jasper. A refractive index of 1.530–1.539 (silica bands) and a specific gravity near 2.80–3.60 separate it quickly.
What is tiger Iron 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 tiger iron?
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 tiger iron