Zebra Stone

[SneakyCuttlefish]

Hi all. I recently made a trip out to my mentors place to observe some silver work. He is a brilliant elderly gentlemen with a life time of knowledge and, as it happens, a life time of precious and semi precious rough he claims he will never get around to using.

I noticed some soccer ball sized chunks of zebra stone out by his old slabbing saw and he informed me that they came from the original deposit under Lake Argyle. I am really keen to slab 'n' cab some and set in silver for my in-laws to sell in their shop for the overseas tourists. As I understand it, its not worth much at all but it is very eye catching and there isn't much around these days.

I have done some googleing and haven't been able to find much useful pricing info. There is a bit up on e-bay but they range from cheap cheap to over ambitiously expensive.

Does anyone have any idea's/suggestions on what a fair price would be for this kind of rough?

I would like to point out that I don't do these projects to make money as I have a great bill paying job already. This is solely for my own enjoyment/skills development and the chance to create something beautiful that others can enjoy. The pricing info is so I can recommend a realistic price to ask in the shop.

 

[AtomRat]

At the gem club I have seen double fist sized chunks of zebra rock for around $40, but its of standard pattern. Being a rather soft rock, I never figured out yet how to polish it ( or if you can ) being slightly porous as well. The rock tends to break away being an old clay / silt. Some zebra rock has unique or rare features to it, so make sure by getting someone to identify it for you correctly, what the value may be. After a quick google read, sone of the zebra rock deposits have been exhausted which may also have change to its value. You may also have some other rocks on the ground there you could use and sell in your ideas too.

http://www.mindat.org/loc-251210.html

 

[Bobj.]

There is a deposit(under lease) down the old Duncan Hwy that is in 'breakaway country'. The actual deposit is at the top, under about 15 ft of the same stuff. At the top are a few small jellyfish fossils, all about 660 myo. we used to go and get big lumps by using crowbars and prising the layers away down the 45 deg slope.
The zebra stone layer was about 10" to 14" thick.

Cheers, Bobj.