Mineral Components of Tianhuang and Its Identification

Mineral components data of 228 Shoushan stone samples and 40 Tianhuang samples have been collected and analyzed. The proportions of different minerals in Shoushan stone samples are dickite(55.7%), kaolinite(12.7%), nacrite(7.5 %), illite(8.8%) and pyrophyllite(15.4%), respectively. Compared with other varieties of Shoushan stone, Tianhuang has the most complicated mineral components, which usually composed of dickite, nacrite, illite, possibly kaolinite, and no pyrophyllite. The proportions are respectively 67.5% dickite, 20% nacrite, 2.5% kaolinite and 10% illite. The mineral components of radish fiber like veins in Tianhuang could be dickite, which is the same as its main mineral, or svanbergite and illite. Although the differences between Tianhuang and its similar stone in mineral component, micro appearance and trace element have been studied, there is still a long way to go to distinguish Tianhuang from Tianhuang-like stone at present.