mineral

Tumbled tiger’s eye chips

Tiger’s eye, chiefly quartz (SiO₂) with fibrous crocidolite-derived inclusions

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Golden- to reddish-brown pieces with silky chatoyancy and vitreous luster; quartz hardness about 7 Mohs, trigonal crystal structure, no prominent cleavage. The photo shows small polished chips, so individual properties are difficult to verify.

Identified September 27, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms when silica replaces fibrous crocidolite during alteration, preserving its structure; commonly associated with iron-rich deposits. The specimen’s precise geological age and source cannot be determined from the image.

Uses & applications

Used in beads, cabochons, jewelry, decorative objects, and mineral collections.

Geological facts

Its moving, cat’s-eye-like light band is called chatoyancy and comes from aligned fibers or inclusions.

Field identification & locations

Identify tiger’s eye by its golden-brown bands and shifting silky sheen when tilted; common sources include South Africa, Australia, India, and Namibia. These look like polished chips, but image inspection cannot confirm the mineral identity.