Lilac Pearl – information about the type of stone

26.01.2019

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Dark gneiss, strongly violet, golden brown tones in some areas. Garnet-rich. Slightly patterned-striped. Suitable for all applications both indoors and outdoors.

Colour variation: Modest
Weather resistance: Good
Wear resistance: Good

Place of extraction: Kulvemäki, Rautavaara
Extracted since: 2000

Technical characteristics:
Density: 2,928 kg/m3
Water absorption: 0.08 p-%
Compressive strength: 233 Mpa
Flexural strength: 23.9 Mpa

Hardness: 6.1-6.6 Mohs

Mineral composition:
Garnet: 15.9%
Amphibole/Nuummite: 17.5%
Quartz: 39.9%
Cordierite: 22.3%
Chlorite: 3.1%
Biotite: 0.2%
Magnetite: 1.1%

How to find the quarry:

Address: Heinämäentie 1072, 73900 Rautavaara.

Drive from Rautavaara to the Iisalmi direction for about 8 km and turn to road No. 870 towards Kajaani. Drive approx. 11.4 km. After a long straight road section, the Heinämäentie road (not Heikinmäentie) turns left. Drive approx. 1.2 km down this road, until boulders appear on the right side.

Surface treatment options

Polished surface
Diamond-brushed surface
Matte-honed surface
Flamed surface
Hammered surface
Split surface

Polished surface

A polished surface is suitable for gravestones and various interior design applications.

Diamond-brushed surface

Diamond-brushing gives the stone a beautiful matte finish and a slightly uneven surface structure. A diamond-brushed surface is suitable for gravestones and various interior design applications.

Matte-honed surface

A matte-honed surface is evenly matte. It looks beautiful on gravestones and various interior design applications.

Flamed surface

Stone flaming makes the surface of the stone rough. Flamed surfaces are used in garden and building stone applications where the surface of the stone must not be slippery. A flamed surface is lighter than a honed surface.

Hammered surface

Hammering makes the surface of the stone rough. A hammered surface is lighter than a honed surface. Hammering is suitable for garden and building stone applications where the surface of the stone must not be slippery. Hammering can also be used as a decorative effect on gravestones.

Split surface

Split surfaces are used in garden and building stone applications, and in gravestones. Splitting highlights the stone’s rough, natural surface.


The Gravestone Guide contains lots of tips on choosing and maintaining a gravestone. It explains the history of gravestones in more detail and describes the types of stones and their features. The Gravestone Guide also features a collection of topical articles and news.

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