Group: Metamorphic rock
Chemical composition: The composition of chrysanthemum stone is variable. Material from the “classic” occurrence at Yonghe in Liuyang County of Hunan Province consists of celestine, but specimens recovered from outcrops of the same strata at other places in the area are mostly mixtures of calcite, chalcedony and minor dolomite which replace earlier celestine. Material from another well known occurrence at Laibin of Guangxi Province consists of strontianite. More recently, holmquistite “suns” in a light schist matrix from the Altay pegmatite field have been traded in China as chrysanthemum stones as well. Japanese “chrysanthemum stone” is aragonite (or calcite pseudomorphs after aragonite) in schalstein matrix
Colors: reddish-brown to black with white flowerettes.
Hardness:
Formation: Patterns which resemble chrysanthemum flowers.
Principal Sources: China
Special Notes: Formed by celestite, feldspar, calcite, andalusite crystals embedded in rock. An ornamental stone displaying chrysanthemum-like patterns in a contrasting matrix.