Tiger's eye

Types and Composition of Tigers Eye

• Tiger iron is an altered rock composed chiefly of tigers eye, red jasper, and black hematite.
• Tigers eye is composed chiefly of silicon dioxide (SiO) and is colored mainly by iron oxide.

Sources of Tigers Eye

• Common sources of tigers eye include Australia, Burma, India, Namibia, South Africa, the United States, Brazil, Canada, China, Korea, and Spain.
• It is mined primarily in South Africa and Western Australia.

Cultural Associations of Tigers Eye

• In some parts of the world, tigers eye is believed to ward off the evil eye.
• Roman soldiers wore engraved tigers eye for protection in battle.

Cut, Treatment, and Imitation of Tigers Eye

• Tigers eye gems are usually given a cabochon cut to display their chatoyance.
• Red stones are developed through gentle heat treatments.
• Dark stones are artificially lightened using a nitric acid treatment.
• Honey-colored stones have been used to imitate cats eye chrysoberyl, but the effect is often unconvincing.
• Artificial fiber optic glass is a common imitation of tigers eye.

References

• Tigers Eye. (mindat.org)
• New interpretation of the origin of tigers-eye. (Geology)
• Listing of SG of gems and gem simulants. (Berkeley.edu)
• Mineralogical Journeys in Arizona. (Mineralogical Journeys in Arizona)
• Cats Eye or Tiger-Eye. (Mineral Resources of the United States / Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey)

Tiger's eye Data Sources