Kambaba Jasper / Stromatolites

Kambaba Jasper, Stromatolites, colonial structures created by Cyanobacteria (commonly called blue-green algae) are among the oldest fossils on earth, being found in rocks over 3 billion years old. Once the dominant life form on the planet, Stromatolites are now found in only a few places, such as Madagascar.

Cyanobacteria form these mound-like structures by growing through sediment, binding the particles together resulting in successive layers which, over very long time periods, may harden to form rocks. These structures may be from fractions of an inch to several feet in diameter.

Cyanobacteria were likely responsible for the creation of earth's oxygen atmosphere. They were the dominant life form on Earth for over 2 billion years. Today they are nearly extinct, living a precarious existence in only a few localities worldwide.

Fossil Stromatolites constitute our earliest and most pervasive record of life on Earth. Although many Stromatolites are fossils, there are a number of locations on the modern-day Earth where Stromatolites are still forming.

Kambaba Jasper is a rare fossilized jasper from Madagascar. Jasper is a micro crystalline variety of Quartz, a silicon dioxide mineral with a hardness of 6.5 to 7. Jaspers can include up to 20% foreign materials, which account for its wide variety of colors and patterns.

Kambaba Jasper (sometimes called Kabamba Jasper) from Madagascar. It is a Stromatolite Jasper, which means that it is composed of fossilized algae.

However...Chris likes this material because it looks like her "Old 45's" (ancient records...you know... way before Cd's and I-PODS)

Not long ago we were contacted by a geologist who wanted to know where we got the "scientific proof" that this stone was a stromatolite. Let us be very clear here...there are ongoing debates about this stone by people more learned than we are. We were first introduced to this stone from a South African Mineral Dealer who told us this stone was "Green Stromatolite Jasper, a fossilized algae that has been around a long time." he further explained that it was given the name "Kambaba Jasper" by the company who was actually mining this stone. Kambaba Jasper was explained to us as by several geologists years ago as a stromatolite, which is a clump of fossilized algae, with greenish or blackish orbs of petrified algae with predominantly black centers, that fossilized over time turning the algae into stromatolite Jasper.

Stromatolite Kambaba Jasper is from the South Africa Rift that runs from South Africa to Madagascar an island nation off the east coast of Africa. Stromatolite Kambaba Jasper is a sedimentary fossil of algae. So...that being said, we leave the discussion of this unique stone to the professional geologists, who cannot seem to agree at all. We just love the stone, but specifically the better quality specimens. We have not been able to find many quality specimen for our customers. The market has been flooded with less than desirable patterns and colors of this unique stone. We are happy to list some supurb specimens here for our customers.

3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
Item # 1KJS022068501

3.87 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar

$225.00

3.87" Kambaba Jasper Sphere

Excellent Stromatolite Sphere with amphibian-like Orbicular patterns and a very nice display. This sphere is 3.87" (98.4mm) in diameter with an excellent polish! This specimen comes from Madagascar This sphere weighs 46.6 oz or 2.91 lb (1.322kg). Some minor natural faults as with all rocks and minerals. This specimen is one of the finest quality large spheres we have seen in the last few years! Don't let this one slip by.... Sphere comes with acrylic stand.

3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar 3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar
Item # 2KJS02205046

3.28 inch Polished Kambaba Jasper Sphere from Madagascar

$169.00

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3.28" Kambaba Jasper Sphere

Excellent Stromatolite Sphere with amphibian-like Orbicular patterns and a very nice display. This sphere is 3.28" (83.5mm) in diameter with an excellent polish! This specimen comes from Madagascar This sphere weighs 29 oz or 1.81 lb (822g). Some minor natural faults as with all rocks and minerals. This specimen is one of the finest quality large spheres we have seen in the last few years! Don't let this one slip by.... Sphere comes with acrylic stand.

Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar
Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar
Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar
Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar
Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar
Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar
Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar
Item # 5KJFF06032422

Polished Free Form Kambaba Jasper from Madagascar

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3.1" Free Form Kambaba Jasper

Excellent Stromatolite amphibian-like Orbicular patterns and a very nice display. This amazing Free Form came from Madagascar. The polish is spectacular! Minor natural faults as with all rocks and minerals.

This specimen weighs 10.6 oz or 0.66 lbs (302g) and measures 3.1 x 3.1 x 1.6 (8 x 7.9 x 4.2cm) across diagonals and 3 x 1.8 x 1.6 (7.8 x 4.7 x 4.2cm) across the flats

Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar
Item # 6KJEC06031050

Kambaba Jasper End Cut from Madagascar

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4.3" End Cut Kambaba Jasper

Excellent Stromatolite amphibian-like Orbicular patterns on this un-polished tapered end cut. It goes from very thin to 22mm in thickness. One end is cut flat. Nice patterns for some lapidary/jewelry work. Minor natural faults as with all rocks and minerals. Shown both wet and dry

This specimen weighs 6.7 oz or 0.42 lbs (191g) and measures 5.3 x 4.7 x up to 0.87" (13.5 x 12 x 2.2cm) across diagonals and 4.3 x 2.8 x up to 0.87 (11 x 7.2 x 2.2cm) across the flats