Dalmatian stone - meaning and effect
Dalmatian stone is formed when hot magma from the earth's interior reaches the surface as a result of a volcanic eruption. The hornblende crystals were already formed at this time and are therefore significantly larger than the light-coloured parts that formed later. These only formed when the magma cooled on the earth's surface. This gives Dalmatian stone its typical appearance, which is reminiscent of the fur of dogs of the same name.
Mineralogical profile dalmatian stone
chemical formula, mineral class: SiO2 (quartz) + KAlSi3O8 (orthoclase) + Na3Fe4Al[OH/Si4O11] (amphibole), silicate rock
Formation: Dalmatian stone is an amphibole-bearing granite aplite, i.e. a silica-rich magmatic gangue rock that intersperses granites and their neighbouring rocks.
Colour: Dalmatian stone shows black dots on a light background
Lustre: matt
Mohs hardness: 6 to 7
Cleavage, fracture: none, uneven to granular fracture
Occurrence, main supplier countries: Mexico
Appearance: granular rock masses with a black and white speckled appearance that gives it its name.
Uses: Dalmatian stone is known as a jewellery and decorative stone. It is used in gemstone healing to help people tackle their own ideas and actively realise them step by step. In astrology, Dalmatian stone represents the exact reflective ability of Virgo-born people.
Origin of the name Dalmatian Stone and synonyms
The Dalmatian stone takes its name from the dog breed of the same name with the dark spots on a light-coloured background. Mineralogy recognises the Dalmatian stone as aplite. According to studies by the Institute for Gemstone Testing, Dalmatian stone is a white to light grey, fine-grained, sometimes zoned gangue rock consisting mainly of potassium feldspar and quartz. The black patches in the rock are amphibole.
The mineralogical name for Dalmatian jasper is hornblende or aplite; the name porphyry or porphyrite, which is occasionally used for Dalmatian stone in retail and wholesale trade, is not mineralogically correct.