Brown Silk is a Brazilian gneiss from Minas Gerais of the Cygnus/Sandalwood family with a warm mid-brown ground mass crossed by horizontally flowing layers in anthracite, black and creamy white quartz streaks. Also traded internationally as Marron Silk, Maroon Silk, Moonrock, Brown Silk Quartzite or Meteor Shower — used for kitchen worktops, bar counters, wall cladding, floors, façades and prestige interior and exterior surfaces with a warm, earthy material effect and a silkily flowing band structure.
Petrographisch handelt es sich um einen präkambrischen Gneis aus dem brasilianischen Schild in Minas Gerais. Im Steinhandel uneinheitlich geführt: einige Quellen klassifizieren als Granit, andere als Quarzit, andere als Gneis. Korrekt ist die Klassifikation als Gneis. Partielle Säureempfindlichkeit — einzelne Mineralkomponenten sind nicht permanent säureresistent.
Gneiss
Brazil
Frostbeständig
Säurebeständig
2.728 kg/m³
Available as: Slabs, Skirting, Tiles and flooring slabs ·
2 of 106 reserved
Brown Silk is a classic Brazilian gneiss from the quarry district in Minas Gerais — the most tradition-rich natural building stone province of Brazil — and belongs to the internationally established Cygnus/Sandalwood family of banded-gneiss Brazilian hard rocks. This family comprises numerous grades with a characteristically parallel-banded material signature, marketed under different marketing names depending on colour intensity and band composition — Brown Silk is the warm mid-brown variant with an elegant, silkily flowing band structure. On the international market the stone is carried under several parallel trade names: Brown Silk, Marron Silk, Maroon Silk (English spellings for 'chestnut-brown silk'), Moonrock, Brown Silk Quartzite and Meteor Shower Granite. Petrographically the material is classified as a gneiss. An important note: there is also a 'Brown Silk Marble' in the stone trade as a lesser trade alias for an unrelated Iranian marble (Ariana Silk) — these are different stones; the Brown Silk dealt with here is unambiguously the Brazilian gneiss.
Geologically it is a Precambrian gneiss from the Brazilian shield — a metamorphic rock formed from igneous or sedimentary parent rocks under high pressure and high temperatures, developing in the process its characteristic fabric-oriented mineral arrangement with a parallel-banded foliation. The mineral composition produces the documented material signature: warm mid-brown mineral components (presumably amphibole- and feldspar-rich components with iron-oxide mineral pigments) form the main mass, crossed by darker biotite-rich anthracite-black bands and lighter creamy white quartz veining. In the stone trade, Brown Silk is traditionally marketed as a granite or quartzite — petrographically correct is the classification as a gneiss. One important technical particularity: individual mineral components show a partial acid sensitivity — some mineral components are not permanently acid-resistant, which should be taken into account in maintenance.
Visually, Brown Silk is defined by an elegant, almost textile-like material signature. The warm mid-brown ground mass is rhythmically articulated by horizontally flowing layers in a deeper anthracite and black, shot through with characteristically silvery white quartz veining that runs across the slab pattern like silk threads. This parallel band structure is the essential feature of the Cygnus family and gives Brown Silk its unmistakable 'silk' character. The structuring is directional — the metamorphic foliation of the rock creates a clear direction of movement in the slab pattern, optimised for directional installation and coming into its own particularly impressively in large-scale bookmatch patterns. Slab variation is moderate — the overall feel in each delivery is dependable, while individual slabs show differences in band width and intensity.
Technically, Brown Silk is among the high-quality Brazilian hard rocks with the following figures: bulk density 2728 kg/m³, compressive strength 75.92 MPa, flexural strength 14.2 to 14.4 MPa, water absorption of only 0.10 % (extremely low). Frost resistance is documented. The low water absorption and the high flexural strength qualify the stone for demanding interior and exterior applications. The partial acid sensitivity of individual mineral components should be taken into account in maintenance, but is markedly less pronounced than the acid sensitivity of marbles and limestones. Technically, Brown Silk behaves essentially like a classic granite and is suitable for kitchen worktops and intensive everyday applications.
In interior fit-out, Brown Silk is a proven choice for classically warm, Mediterranean-elegant and contemporary architecture wanting a warm, earthy material effect. Classic applications are kitchen worktops in design kitchens wanting a warm, elegant appearance, bar counter back walls and counter fronts, wall cladding, floors in entrance halls and living spaces, stair treads, skirtings, window sills and façade cladding. The warm mid-brown tonality with its anthracite-black band structures and silvery white quartz veining harmonises particularly with timber fittings in mid to dark brown tones (oak, walnut, mahogany), with brass, bronze and copper accents, with warm earth tones in wall colours and with classically rustic furniture aesthetics. Outdoors, Brown Silk finds use as façade cladding, plinth panels, stairs, paving and pool surrounds — its frost resistance and low water absorption qualify it without restriction for central European climate conditions.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
Loading slab images…
Technical data
Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.
Brown Silk is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Poliert
Politur ist die klassischste Veredelung im Hartgesteinsegment — eine spiegelglatte, hochglänzende Oberfläche mit höchstmöglicher Farbintensität und maximaler Tiefenwirkung der Mineralstruktur. Als säurebeständiges Silikatgestein ist polierter Granit pflegeleicht und für Küchenarbeitsplatten, Wandverkleidungen und repräsentative Sichtflächen erste Wahl.
Satiniert
Die satinierte Oberfläche entsteht durch Bürsten, das weichere Minerale gezielt entfernt und der Fläche eine leichte Tiefe gibt. Mattes Erscheinungsbild mit subtiler Lichtreflexion und haptisch warmer Wirkung. Pflegeleicht, kratzunempfindlich und alltagstauglich — beliebte Alternative zur Politur in modernen Küchen und Wohnräumen.
Care & fabrication
As a Brazilian gneiss, Brown Silk is in principle easy to look after — the low water absorption of 0.10 % and the high flexural strength make the stone resistant to mechanical loads. One important particularity: individual mineral constituents are not permanently acid-resistant. Therefore: for daily cleaning use exclusively warm water with a pH-neutral stone cleaning agent — acidic household cleaners, vinegar, citric acid descalers or other concentrated acidic substances should be avoided. Take up spilled acidic liquids promptly with clear water — this sensitivity needs to be borne in mind by comparison with genuinely acid-resistant granites, but is markedly less pronounced than the acid sensitivity of marbles and limestones. Professional sealing after installation and every 2 to 3 years thereafter is recommended indoors — it reduces the take-up of pigments and protects the polished surface. Given the warm brown material signature, pale pigment marks are less visible than on light stones. Outdoors, regular cleaning with clear water and occasionally a soft brush is sufficient; where biological growth has taken hold in shaded positions, commercially available algae and moss cleaners can be used. Hot pans can be set down directly on the worktop — Brown Silk is heat-resistant.
Frequently asked questions
What does the designation 'Brown Silk' mean?
The marketing name 'Brown Silk' refers to the silkily flowing material signature with its parallel silvery white vein figuring, which flows across the warm brown ground mass like silk threads. The metamorphic foliation of the stone creates this directional movement. Brown Silk, Marron Silk, Maroon Silk (English spellings for 'chestnut-brown silk'), Moonrock, Brown Silk Quartzite and Meteor Shower Granite are synonymous trade names arising from parallel international marketing.
Is Brown Silk a granite, a gneiss or a quartzite?
In the stone trade, Brown Silk is carried inconsistently as 'granite', 'quartzite' or 'gneiss'. Petrographically correct is the classification as a gneiss — a metamorphic rock from the Brazilian Precambrian shield. Gneisses behave technically like high-quality granites (high compressive strength, low water absorption, frost-resistant and mostly acid-resistant) and are treated accordingly in construction. With Brown Silk, the partial acid sensitivity of individual mineral components must be borne in mind.
What is the acid sensitivity of Brown Silk?
Brown Silk shows a partial acid sensitivity: individual mineral constituents are not permanently acid-resistant. Concentrated acids such as citric acid or vinegar can cause smaller discolourations after prolonged contact. This sensitivity needs to be borne in mind by comparison with genuinely acid-resistant granites, but is markedly less pronounced than the acid sensitivity of marbles and limestones. For ordinary household applications with pH-neutral cleaning agents and immediate take-up of spilled liquids, the stone is robust.
What is the Cygnus/Sandalwood family?
The Cygnus/Sandalwood family comprises a group of Brazilian hard rocks with a characteristically parallel-banded material signature, carried under different names depending on the supplier's marketing. Brown Silk is the warm mid-brown variant, Black Silk the black one, with Cygnus Black, Moonrock and Sandalwood as further grades in different tonalities — all share the silkily flowing band structure and the metamorphic gneissose mineralogy.
Is Brown Silk suitable for kitchen worktops?
Outstandingly so. The granite-equivalent properties — high compressive strength (75.92 MPa), low water absorption (only 0.10 %), heat resistance and high flexural strength (14.3 MPa) — qualify Brown Silk for intensively used kitchen worktops. The warm brown appearance with its silkily flowing vein figuring makes it a warm statement choice. The partial acid sensitivity must be borne in mind — spilled acids should be taken up promptly, and professional sealing is recommended.
Which slab formats are usual for Brown Silk?
Standard large formats from the Brazilian quarries typically lie between 280 × 160 cm and 320 × 200 cm at thicknesses of 2 cm and 3 cm. Through ROSSITTIS, thinner formats (1 cm for lightweight wall cladding) as well as skirtings and tile formats for floors are also sourced. Please enquire directly about specific dimensions.
