Reviews
KAMBABA JASPER FOR SALE
Is Kambaba Jasper A Stromatolite?
oncolite stromatolites. This has led to many sellers making wildly inaccurate and speculative claims about the stone. This includes claiming it is billions of years old and the green coloration is due to the color of fossilized algae.
Thin-film and X-ray diffraction analysis done at EPI (Germany’s gemstone testing institute) shows the stone is a rhyolite of volcanic origin and thus can not be a stromatolite. According to the analysis, it is composed of a “green ground mass of quartz, pyroxene (Aegirine), as well as soda and potash spats" and that "circular aggregates are arranged from very small amphibole needles”. Amphibole minerals form in igneous (volcanic) rocks, not sedimentary ones. Several experts on stromatolites that have chimed in on the subject are also pretty adamant that it is NOT a stromatolite!
Where Is Kambaba Jasper Found?
Most Kambaba jasper is mined by Norcross-Madagascar from a 6-km square area believed to be around Tsiroanomandidy in the West-Central Bongolava region of Madagascar. Other localities in Madagascar may produce the stone, but this cannot be confirmed.
Some websites reference South African localities, but we cannot find any confirmation of localities or sources for this material. Material from Madagascar maybe getting mislabeled as coming from South Africa.
Where Does The Name Kambaba Come From?
According to Norcross-Madagascar, who mines the stone, the name Kambaba comes from a river close to their primary quarry.
Where Does The Name “Crocodile Jasper” Come From?
Many beleive that the blackish orbs in the stone resemble crocodile eyes, hence the popular name “Crocodile Jasper”.
Is Kambaba Jasper The Same As Eldarite Or “Nebula Stone”?
Eldarite, which is also commonly referred to as nebula stone, is found in southern Mexico. It has a very similar orb-like pattern, though the coloration is swapped. Kambaba jasper is lighter green with dark orbs, while eldarite is a dark green with lighter colored orbs. Analysis of the two stones done by EPI in Germany indicates that, despite the difference in coloration, the chemical composition is the same. They were also likely formed in a similar fashion. The report from EPI recommends that from a mineralogical standpoint, eldarite and Kambaba Jasper can be considered the same stone.
Names like “Nebula Stone” and “Crocodile Jasper” are just trade names used for marketing with no formal definitions.
What Gives Kambaba Jasper Its Green Color?
The green coloration in kambaba jasper is caused by Aegirine inclusions in the stone.
Is Kambaba Jasper Truly A Jasper?
It has been said that it should more correctly be called Kambaba Stone rather than Kambaba Jasper due to its volcanic origins. It really depends on which definition of jasper is being used: jasper has been defined in many different ways, even in scientific literature. Most geologists would define jasper as any igneous or sedimentary rock that has been thoroughly silicified by replacement with cryptocrystalline silica, with inclusions of iron oxide or other colored minerals. This definition would seem to qualify Kambaba jasper as a true jasper, though some mineralogists and EPI disagree.
What Is Kambaba Jasper Used For?
Commercial mining of Kambaba jasper only began within the last couple decades. It is quarried, polished, and sold primarily as a decorative or ornamental stone.
In recent years, Crocodile jasper has become quite popular with the “healing crystal” community. It has been pushed as a cure-all for everything, including “boosting the immune system, cellular growth and DNA”, “benefiting tooth and jaw health”, “alleviates stress and induces tranquility”, “banishing nightmares”, “increase fertility and creativity, overcoming impotence”, “increasing your money flow”, “providing strength to the broken hearted”, “providing protection you on back-to-nature holidays” and “improving digestion”. No, we did not make any of those up...