Kambaba Jasper Identification Guide
A field guide to recognizing Kambaba Jasper by its dark-green and black orbicular swirls, hardness, and texture.
Read the full Kambaba Jasper encyclopedia entry →
What Kambaba Jasper Looks Like
Kambaba Jasper is a trade name for a dark, sedimentary-to-metamorphic silica rock from Madagascar (and similar material from South Africa). It is instantly recognizable by its deep forest-green to black background swirled with rounded "eyes," rings, and orbs of darker and lighter green. These orbicular patterns are often described as stromatolite-like or "crocodile-skin." Luster is dull to waxy on rough surfaces and takes a high, glassy polish. It is opaque in all but the thinnest chips.
Quick visual cues
- Dark green base with circular/oval black and olive markings
- Mottled, swirly, "camouflage" appearance rather than sharp parallel bands
- Heavy, dense feel; cool to the touch
- Polishes to a deep glassy green-black
Step-by-Step Field ID Checklist
- Check the color scheme. True Kambaba shows green-on-green-on-black orbs. Pure black-and-white spotting points to a different stone (see look-alikes).
- Look at the pattern geometry. Seek rounded, nested rings and blobs, not straight agate bands or random brecciation.
- Test hardness. It should scratch glass and resist a steel knife (Mohs ~6.5-7 where silica-rich).
- Check the streak. A pale to greenish-gray streak; never a rich green powder.
- Heft it. Density is moderately high (~2.6-2.9); it feels solid for its size.
- Inspect the polish. Microcrystalline silica zones take a mirror polish, while feldspar/clay-rich zones may stay slightly matte.
Key Diagnostic Tests
- Mohs hardness: ~6-7 in the chalcedony-rich portions; softer carbonate/clay inclusions may scratch more easily.
- Streak: white to gray-green.
- Fracture: conchoidal to splintery in the silica; no cleavage.
- Acid: generally no fizz, but localized fizzing can occur if carbonate is present—test a hidden spot with dilute HCl.
- Magnetism: non-magnetic to very weak (minor iron oxides only).
Common Look-Alikes and How to Tell Them Apart
- Nebula Stone: also green-and-black orbicular, but Nebula Stone's spots are brighter, sharper, and set in a near-black quartz/feldspar matrix; Kambaba's pattern is softer and swirlier.
- Dalmatian / Kiwi Jasper: white or cream base with discrete black spots—Kambaba is green-dominant with rings, not a pale spotted stone.
- Ocean Jasper: multicolored (white, pink, orange) orbs; Kambaba is restricted to greens and black.
- Green Moss Agate: translucent with dendritic inclusions; Kambaba is fully opaque with solid orbs.
Where It Is Found
Primary deposits are in Madagascar, with comparable "crocodile jasper" material from South Africa. It forms in silica-rich sedimentary/algal-mat settings later silicified, which is why the orbs resemble fossil stromatolites.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell if it's real Kambaba Jasper?
Look for a dark green-to-black base with rounded green-on-green orbs and rings, an opaque body, a hardness around 6.5-7 that scratches glass, and a deep glassy polish. Sharp black spots on white indicate a different stone.
What is Kambaba Jasper actually made of?
It is a silicified sedimentary/metamorphic rock rich in microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony) plus minor feldspar, iron oxides, and clay minerals; the orbs are stromatolite-like algal structures.
Kambaba Jasper vs Nebula Stone—what's the difference?
Both are green-and-black orbicular stones, but Nebula Stone has brighter, sharper spots in a darker quartz-feldspar matrix, while Kambaba shows softer, swirly, nested rings on a green ground.
Is Kambaba Jasper magnetic or does it fizz in acid?
It is essentially non-magnetic. It usually does not fizz, but carbonate-bearing zones can react weakly to dilute acid, so test an inconspicuous spot.
Kambaba Jasper identified by the community
Recent Kambaba Jasper specimens identified with Rock Identifier.
