RocksdayEnstatite vs Tiger's Eye
How to tell them apart
A magnesium pyroxene common in mantle rocks and meteorites; bronze-sheened varieties are called bronzite.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0
Golden-brown quartz with a silky, shifting band of light (chatoyancy) caused by parallel fibers inside.
Photo: Marek Novotnak, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick tests
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Enstatite leaves a gray streak; Tiger's Eye leaves white to brown.
Key differences
- Tiger's eye is harder quartz with a moving silky band.
Side by side
| Property | Enstatite | Tiger's Eye |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 5–6 | 6.5–7 |
| Luster | Vitreous to pearly | Silky |
| Streak | Gray | White to brown |
| Colors | Brown, Green, Gray | Gold, Brown, Yellow |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic | Fibrous quartz |
| Specific gravity | 3.2–3.3 | 2.64–2.71 |
| Formula | MgSiO₃ | SiO₂ |
| Found in | Norway; Tanzania | Northern Cape, South Africa; Western Australia |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify enstatite
- Brown to green with a bronzy, pearly sheen.
- Two cleavages at nearly 90°.
- Hardness about 5.5.
Crystal system: Orthorhombic
Full Enstatite guide →How to identify tiger's eye
- Gold and brown stripes that shimmer and move as you tilt it.
- Silky luster, especially when polished.
- Hard — scratches glass.
Crystal system: Fibrous quartz
Full Tiger's Eye guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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