China stone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
China stone is a medium grained, feldspar-rich partially decomposed granite characterized by the absence of iron-bearing minerals.[1] Its mineral content includes quartz, feldspar and mica; accessory minerals include kaolinite and fluorspar. It is found in one area of Cornwall in the United Kingdom and is the UK’s only indigenous source of feldspathic material currently being commercially extracted. Production levels in the four years up to 2003 averaged 2,800 tonnes per year.[1]
Other names include Cornish or Cornwall stone.[2] It is sometimes confused with petunse, which although somewhat similar, is a different rock.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Cornwall County Council website, China clay and china stone undated, URL retrieved on 14 September 2007
- ^ Ceramic Materials Database undated, URL retrieved on 14 September 2007
