Helan stones are found above 2,600m in the Helan Mountain Range. With fine texture and exquisite appearance, it is easy to carve.

With an even structure, the high-quality stones are ideal materials for ink stones.

It has two natural colors of deep purple and bean green. Some of the stones have the natural pictures of jade ribbon, cloud layers, eyebrow.

The finished Helan ink stone is water resistance and can preserve the ink very well. Helan ink stone is usually used to carve vivid pictures, therefore getting the title of "one of China's three famous ink stones" along with the other two from Guangdong Province and Anhui Province.

Helan stone carving and other four special local products – Chinese wolfberry, licorice root ,hair-like vegetable "facai " and sheep fur coat , are highly praised as 'treasures of five colors' (their names derive from their respective colors, red, yellow, blue, white and black).