Ningxia Helan Stone

Ningxia Helan Stone

　　Helan Stone formed 1.3 billion years ago due to crustal movements and sediment deposition, belonging to aqueous rock; it has a uniform and fine texture, elegant and lustrous, featuring natural interplay of green and purple hues, balancing hardness and softness, and emits a ringing sound when struck.

The deep purple part of Helan Stone accounts for about 18%, which artisans call "purple base," while the rest is light green stone material, referred to by artisans as "green color" or "green mark." The combination of "green color" and "purple base" sometimes features intricate patterns such as jade belts, cloud motifs, eyebrow lines, silver threads, and stone eyes, resembling emerald-like jade delicately inlaid on smooth and supple purple velvet, creating an exceptionally elegant and refined appearance.

Helan Stone is an excellent material for carving inkstones; it is non-absorbent, facilitates smooth ink flow, and causes minimal wear. When covered, the remaining ink in the inkstone can stay moist and odorless for several days. Moreover, its naturally interwoven deep green and bean green hues present an inherently refined charm. Helan Stone inkstones have a history of over a thousand years and are comparable to Duan Inkstones and Huizhou Inkstones, leading to the saying "first Duan, second Huizhou, third Helan."

Helan Stone is a non-renewable and rare resource. According to surveys by relevant departments, Helan Stone is only found in the Dakaizi, Xiaokaizi, and Baisisikou areas of the Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve, with an estimated total reserve of 352,300 cubic meters, but the extractable reserves in the central mining area amount to only 59,300 cubic meters.

In recent years, due to the near exhaustion of Helan Stone resources and a sharp decline in production, the market for Helan Stone products has gradually heated up. To better protect and scientifically develop Helan Stone resources, the People's Government of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has limited annual extraction of raw Helan Stone to no more than 20 tons.