昌化石(shi)(shi)因其主要產于(yu)浙江(jiang)臨(lin)安(an)昌化縣而得其名(ming),亦是我國四大(da)系印章(zhang)石(shi)(shi)之一。昌化石(shi)(shi)的礦物(wu)成分(fen)是以粘土礦物(wu)地開(kai)石(shi)(shi)為主,常含(han)有高嶺石(shi)(shi)等粘土礦物(wu)。還常含(han)有未蝕變成地開(kai)石(shi)(shi)的硬質(zhi)石(shi)(shi)英斑晶,硬度遠遠大(da)于(yu)地開(kai)石(shi)(shi),工藝上稱其為“砂丁(ding)”,“砂丁(ding)”的多少直接影(ying)響昌化石(shi)(shi)的質(zhi)量。
昌(chang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)石的石質相對多(duo)(duo)砂(sha)、多(duo)(duo)氣孔,一般都較壽山石和青田石稍(shao)堅(jian)些,且硬度變化(hua)(hua)(hua)較大(da)。質地也不如二者細膩。但(dan)也有質地細嫩(nen)者及各種(zhong)顏(yan)(yan)色(se)(se)(se)凍石。昌(chang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)石的顏(yan)(yan)色(se)(se)(se)主要有白(bai)、黑、紅、黃、灰等各種(zhong)顏(yan)(yan)色(se)(se)(se),品種(zhong)也細分成很多(duo)(duo)種(zhong),多(duo)(duo)以顏(yan)(yan)色(se)(se)(se)劃(hua)分。如白(bai)色(se)(se)(se)者稱(cheng)“白(bai)昌(chang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)”,黑色(se)(se)(se)或灰色(se)(se)(se)雜黑色(se)(se)(se)者稱(cheng)“黑昌(chang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)”,多(duo)(duo)色(se)(se)(se)相間者則稱(cheng)“花(hua)昌(chang)化(hua)(hua)(hua)”。
與(yu)(yu)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)化(hua)石(shi)為(wei)(wei)相近(jin)的(de)(de)(de)彩(cai)(cai)石(shi)有(you)(you)青(qing)田(tian)石(shi)、田(tian)黃(huang)、等。石(shi)藝(yi)界、主要(yao)認為(wei)(wei),昌(chang)(chang)(chang)化(hua)石(shi)是(shi)色(se)彩(cai)(cai)豐富、富于變化(hua)的(de)(de)(de)石(shi)材。可以說,其(qi)他彩(cai)(cai)石(shi)具有(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)色(se)彩(cai)(cai),在昌(chang)(chang)(chang)化(hua)石(shi)中都能找(zhao)到;而其(qi)它(ta)彩(cai)(cai)石(shi)不(bu)具有(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)色(se)彩(cai)(cai),昌(chang)(chang)(chang)化(hua)石(shi)也有(you)(you)。昌(chang)(chang)(chang)化(hua)石(shi)的(de)(de)(de)品(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)繁多(duo),細分起來有(you)(you)上百種(zhong)(zhong),而且還有(you)(you)新品(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)發現(xian)。它(ta)與(yu)(yu)巴(ba)林(lin)石(shi)均按(an)石(shi)質色(se)象而定種(zhong)(zhong)屬,顏色(se)、透明(ming)度、光(guang)澤度、硬度是(shi)區(qu)分品(pin)類的(de)(de)(de)四(si)要(yao)素,只不(bu)過(guo)巴(ba)林(lin)石(shi)具備這幾種(zhong)(zhong)要(yao)素的(de)(de)(de)程度與(yu)(yu)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)化(hua)石(shi)有(you)(you)所(suo)不(bu)同。昌(chang)(chang)(chang)化(hua)石(shi)與(yu)(yu)青(qing)田(tian)石(shi)、壽山石(shi)的(de)(de)(de)分類也有(you)(you)許(xu)多(duo)相似(si)之處。
所不同的(de)(de)(de)(de)是,青田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)取(qu)名(ming)方法除了根據(ju)質(zhi)(zhi)地(di)及色澤的(de)(de)(de)(de)異(yi)同而定(ding)外,還要再冠(guan)上產地(di)名(ming),如(ru)封門燈光(guang)凍(dong)(dong)(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、官(guan)洪燈光(guang)凍(dong)(dong)(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、白洋夾板凍(dong)(dong)(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)等。壽山(shan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)種類,有(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)以(yi)產地(di)取(qu)名(ming),有(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)以(yi)坑(keng)硐取(qu)名(ming),也有(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)以(yi)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)質(zhi)(zhi)色象取(qu)名(ming)。如(ru)田(tian)坑(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、水坑(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、山(shan)坑(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)這三項(xiang)傳統(tong)大(da)類,山(shan)坑(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)高山(shan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、小(xiao)高山(shan)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、都城坑(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、月尾石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、虎崗石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、獅頭石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)等,均以(yi)地(di)名(ming)、硐名(ming)定(ding)名(ming),而像田(tian)坑(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)、白田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、紅田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)、黑田(tian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)等,水坑(keng)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)水晶凍(dong)(dong)(dong)、魚腦(nao)凍(dong)(dong)(dong)、天(tian)藍凍(dong)(dong)(dong)等,則以(yi)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)質(zhi)(zhi)色象定(ding)名(ming)。
昌化石(shi)(shi)(shi)也(ye)有“老坑(keng)貨(huo)”、“新坑(keng)貨(huo)”之(zhi)稱,但主要是指開發早遲和質量優(you)劣的(de)(de)(de)兩類(lei)(lei)坑(keng)硐(dong)(dong)的(de)(de)(de)產出分類(lei)(lei),并不是昌化石(shi)(shi)(shi)品種(zhong)(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)區分。在(zai)品評(ping)石(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)質量時,有紅(hong)(hong)硐(dong)(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)、水硐(dong)(dong)石(shi)(shi)(shi)、康山嶺石(shi)(shi)(shi)、蚱(zha)蜢腳背石(shi)(shi)(shi)、昌化塢(wu)石(shi)(shi)(shi)、纖嶺石(shi)(shi)(shi)、灰石(shi)(shi)(shi)嶺石(shi)(shi)(shi)之(zhi)說,這也(ye)是指部分石(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)質量的(de)(de)(de)不同(tong),而不是品種(zhong)(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)不同(tong)。因為論品種(zhong)(zhong),這些坑(keng)硐(dong)(dong)和產地均大同(tong)小異。所以(yi)(yi)昌化石(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)種(zhong)(zhong)屬(shu)難以(yi)(yi)坑(keng)硐(dong)(dong)、產地名劃分。在(zai)開發早期,采石(shi)(shi)(shi)者只是籠統地將昌化石(shi)(shi)(shi)區分為烏玉石(shi)(shi)(shi)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)、黃玉石(shi)(shi)(shi)、花(hua)玉石(shi)(shi)(shi)、紅(hong)(hong)玉石(shi)(shi)(shi)(即)幾大類(lei)(lei)。