Tiger iron is a banded rock, not a single mineral. It is gold-brown tiger's eye, black-gray hematite and red jasper pressed into wavy stripes.
Rock (mixed minerals)
Tiger Iron
Hierro de tigre
- Palette
- Brown Red Black Gray Multicolor
- Mined in
- Australia, South Africa
- Hardness
- Mohs 6.5–7.0 ?
- See-through
- opaque
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- its banded tiger's-eye stripes and black iron-oxide (hematite) layers
- Also sold as
- tiger-iron jasper, tigerite, tiger iron stone
- Intention
- Strength Protection
- Looking for
- Willpower Courage Confidence and self-worth Protection
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Tiger iron beads are generally natural. The gold, gray and red colors are the stone's own bands.
Not in our pieces now
2.47 BILLION YEARS
The Hamersley Range banded iron formations of Western Australia were laid down about 2.47 billion years ago.
900 METERS
The Hamersley iron formations reach over 900 meters thick, the thickest and most extensive in the world.
CROCIDOLITE
Tiger's eye, the golden stripe in tiger iron, forms from altered crocidolite, a fibrous amphibole.
What it is
A banded stone with wavy stripes of golden-brown tiger's eye, black-gray metallic hematite and red jasper, so a bead shows gold, rust and steel colors together. It is a rock made of those three materials pressed together, not a single mineral. The tiger's eye parts have a silky, shifting sheen.
What gives it its color
Tiger iron is a rock made mostly of tiger's eye, red jasper and black hematite; the gold of the tiger's eye is colored mainly by iron oxide, and its silky shine comes from quartz grown between altered mineral fibers.
Where it comes from
Tiger iron is mined mainly in South Africa and Western Australia.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, the golden tiger's eye is kept for confidence and courage, and the red for motivation and willpower. People reach for the mix when they want to start something they keep putting off.
In older gem lore, hematite was a warrior's stone, rubbed on before a fight. Eye-patterned stones like tiger's eye were long kept as charms against the evil eye.
People wear it on the wrist, carry it in a pocket, or set it on a desk.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, in a pocket, on a desk, or in a work bag.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, tiger iron is paired with the root and sacral and solar plexus chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the wrist, in a pocket, on a desk. People reach for it when they want willpower, courage, confidence and self-worth, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraRoot, Sacral, Solar Plexus
ZodiacLeo
ElementFire
Also calledtiger-iron jasper, tigerite, tiger iron stone
Care
- Hard enough for daily wear, but it is a mix of materials, so avoid hard knocks along the stripes.
- Wipe with a soft cloth and a little mild soap and water, then dry it fully.
- Keep away from harsh cleaners, acids and ultrasonic cleaners.
- The tiger's eye sheen can look dull if left in dust or oils; a quick wipe brings back the shine.
- Store apart from harder stones such as quartz-based gems and corundum so it does not get scratched.
How to tell what you have
- Real tiger iron has wavy layers of gold tiger's eye, gray metallic hematite and red jasper, and the pattern differs from bead to bead. A bead that is the same all over or has printed-looking stripes is not natural tiger iron.
Rules and sourcing
Tiger iron is banded rock that includes tiger eye, which holds fibers of crocidolite, an asbestos mineral under US law. Finished beads are sold as jewelry, but do not grind, sand, drill or cut them without dust protection.
Questions people ask at our table
What is tiger iron?
A banded rock made of golden-brown tiger's eye, black-gray hematite and red jasper pressed together in wavy stripes. It is a mix of three materials, not one mineral.
Is tiger iron the same as tiger's eye?
No. Tiger's eye is one part of it. Tiger iron adds the dark metallic hematite and the red jasper, which is why it looks striped in several colors.
Is it dyed?
The colors come from the three natural materials themselves. As with any bead, ask the seller whether it has been dyed or stabilized.
Where does it come from?
It is mined mainly in Western Australia and South Africa.
How do I look after it?
Wipe it with a soft damp cloth, dry it, and keep it from hard knocks. It is hard, but the stripes are different materials.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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