Oakstone

Oakstone is a variety of Barite (Baryte) named for its resemblance to oak wood due to its wood-like patterns resembling the concentric rings of a tree when cut. Oakstone consists of concentric bands of massive, microcrystalline Barite exhibiting an aesthetic variety of brown shades and patterns reminiscent of woodgrain. Cut and polished stones often show chatoyance. Technically speaking, Oakstone is a pseudostalactitic banded variety of crystalline Barite. Oakstone was originally reported from Arbor Low, Middleton-and-Smerrill, Derbyshire, England, the UK around 1870.