The facts
What zebra Stone actually is
Zebra Stone is classified as neoproterozoic siltstone with rhythmic red hematite bands, stripes and spots in a white-cream ground - a self-organised chemical banding in a sediment, with the composition Silt-grade quartz and clay with hematite Fe2O3 pigment bands. It crystallises in the aggregate system.
Colour comes from hematite banding, probably from a diagenetic self-organisation (Liesegang-type) process, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Specific gravity around 2.55-2.75. Cleavage: none; soft and easily carved. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where zebra Stone comes from
Zebra Stone is produced at Ranford Formation, Lake Argyle and the Kununurra district, East Kimberley, Western Australia - the only known occurrence in the world.
That is the whole list. A single source makes supply fragile and makes any claim of a second origin worth questioning.
How zebra Stone is treated
Untreated; often waxed or oiled. Supply is controlled: the deposits lie in a very small area partly under Lake Argyle and on leases, with collecting restricted and the National Park and Aboriginal heritage rules applying. Genuinely a one-locality material, which matters for a reference dataset. Not CITES.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What zebra Stone is confused with
In the trade zebra Stone is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Banded sandstone and siltstone from elsewhere, Painted and resin imitations or Landscape marble.
Because the material is opaque, refractive index is no help. Specific gravity around 2.55-2.75, hardness of 4-5, streak and magnification do the work instead.
What zebra Stone is used for
Demand for zebra Stone comes from carving and sculpture, decorative objects, mineral collecting and jewellery, 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 specimen.
Durability and care
Zebra Stone is 4-5 on the Mohs scale, with none; soft and easily carved cleavage.
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 zebra Stone costs
As a guide, zebra Stone trades around $20-100 per kilogram rough; carved objects $40-600.
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 zebra Stone treated, and how?
Untreated; often waxed or oiled. Supply is controlled: the deposits lie in a very small area partly under Lake Argyle and on leases, with collecting restricted and the National Park and Aboriginal heritage rules applying. Genuinely a one-locality material, which matters for a reference dataset. Not CITES.
Where does zebra Stone come from?
Ranford Formation, Lake Argyle and the Kununurra district, East Kimberley, Western Australia - the only known occurrence in the world. That is the only commercial source.
Is zebra Stone hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 4-5 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 zebra Stone cost?
Indicatively $20-100 per kilogram rough; carved objects $40-600. 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 zebra Stone confused with?
Most often Banded sandstone and siltstone from elsewhere, Painted and resin imitations and Landscape marble. Since the material is opaque, separation relies on specific gravity near 2.55-2.75, hardness and magnification.
What is zebra Stone 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 zebra stone?
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 zebra stone