Mineral Type - Stichtite
Stichtite in combination with green serpentine are only known from Australia, and South Africa in any significant quantities. Alternative sector dubbed the name Atlantisite.
Generally Speaking - This material is light weight, thus polished items give you a beneficial size to weight ratio! Noteworthy is that when polished natural flaws, fissures, or cracks are evident. It is near impossible to get a perfect polish on this material due to its composition and softness!
Generally Speaking - Stichtite is a carbonate of Chromium and Magnesium. Its colour ranges from pink through lilac to a rich purple colour. It is formed as an alteration product of Chromite containing Serpentine. Stichtite is rare and sought after in the broader international market.
Toprock gets the rough direct from the mines in Barberton, South Africa. We exclusively polish the material in the Toprock factory. Stichtite is purple and ranges in colour intensity. The Stichtite is often found in association to either a black or brown coloured Serpentine but most recent deposits have yielded material with semi gemmy classic green Serpentine.
The deposit yields mostly small rough pieces which makes larger pieces rare and collectible. This is an amazing locally available resource