Shungite Origins: Where Does Your Shungite Come From?

Posted by Karelian_Heritage 20/09/2019 1 Comment(s) Shungite 101,

shungite-deposits

 

        We all enjoy our magnificent shungite in all of its glory on a daily basis: we carry it around, wear it as jewelry or keep it at home as healing and protective decorations. However, as with any other natural resource, there is a lot of hard work put in every shungite stone so it could heal and joy us every day. From a moment it is excavated from the ground and then produced into a large array of goods to the notification on your phone that your shungite piece is delivered months or even years may pass. So if you ever wondered about the origin of your shungite stone or product, today we are going to tell you all about it.

 

Karelia, Karelia

 

        Well, we guess you know the basics: shungite comes from the Republic of Karelia in North-West Russia, region with harsh long winters and short, yet hot, summers. Historically, the region was much bigger and today it is separated between Finland and Russia, however shungite is only found on the Russian side. Karelia has numerous small deposits of shungite, but they are too scarce to be developed industrially. What we need to look at is Zaonezhsky peninsula, which is very visible on the map of Karelia – it is the piece of land that goes the deepest into Lake Onega from the north. There, in Medvezhyegorsky district, near Shunga village (that is where the name of the stone comes from) lies the Zazhoginsky mine – the largest deposit of shungite in the world.

 

The healthiest mine in the whole wide world

 

        At Zazhoginsky deposit there is an open quarry where shungite is mined with up-to-date technologies. The size of the deposit is 22x11 km (14x7 miles) and it houses more than 35 million tons of shungite. Yearly, the mine produces approximately 200 thousand tons of shungite stone, so it can last at least 200 hundred years until it is drained. The excavation first started couple of centuries ago, but it was on a very low scale and not consistent. The situation changed in 1991 when first large mining operation started at Zazhoginsky deposit, and that is when shungite started to gain popularity overseas, which has increased hundredfold since then. As it is situated on a large lake it is easy to transport shungite to ports of the Baltic, White and Barents seas for further transportation, as well as by train to Petrozavodsk, which is only 175 km (109 miles) away, and where we are situated, so we always have a never-ending supply of freshly-excavated shungite stone.

 

The one and only

 

        What distinguishes Zazhoginsky deposits from all the other shungite deposits in Karelia is of course the fact that it is the only place in the world where you can always get elite shungite. Some sources claim that it is the only deposit of elite shungite in the world, however you can still find nuggets of elite shungite in smaller deposits, though it is nearly not enough for industrial excavation. So yes, if you have an elite shungite nugget at home, there is 99% chance that it was mined in Zazhoginsky quarry.

 

        Another interesting thing about Zazhoginsky mine is that shungite’s properties there are much richer than in other deposits due to the fact that between layers of shungite there lie other minerals and rocks, also rich in healing and protection, like quartz, pyrite or dolomite. This crazy mix works in synergy to achieve the best quality and properties for your further use. That is also the reason why you can sometimes find different infusions in your shungite, so you should never worry about it: it is just as healthy as the rest of the stone.

 

        So there you have it, now you can be 100% sure where your own shungite piece comes from. If you will become an eager shungite enthusiast, maybe you will even visit Karelia one day and see it for yourself! But until then, enjoy all the powerful properties shungite provides you with and stay healthy and protected. Purchase shungite from Karelia and bring the best crystal healing into your life!

1 Comment(s)

Michel:
25/01/2020, 05:18:59 PM
Reply

Very interesting

Karelian Heritage:
27/01/2020, 04:52:25 PM

Dear Michel, thank you for your comment! We are delighted that you find the article interesting. We hope other articles will be helpful, too. Best regards, Karelian Heritage

Leave a Comment