mineral
Tiger's Eye
Silicon Dioxide (Quartz pseudomorph after crocidolite)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, golden-brown to yellow-brown color with a silky chatoyant luster, and a microcrystalline trigonal structure.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, golden-brown to yellow-brown color with a silky chatoyant luster, and a microcrystalline trigonal structure.
Formation & geological history
Formed when quartz gradually replaces the fibrous mineral crocidolite, preserving its chatoyant fibrous structure over millions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used in jewelry, ornamental carvings, and holistic healing practices due to its striking chatoyancy.
Geological facts
Tiger's eye exhibits chatoyancy, an optical reflectance effect resembling the slit eye of a cat, caused by parallel fibrous inclusions.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its golden-brown stripes and distinctive cat's-eye light reflection; commonly sourced from South Africa and Australia.
