Things You Need to Know Before You Start Working with Shungite

      If you are a newcomer to the magical world of shungite healing and are planning to make your first purchase, it is ok to have doubts. In our modern day and age there is a large amount of controversial information in the Internet that may stray you away from shungite, and that is ok too. The Internet is just that kind of place and a lot of things you will find there are not exactly true. But here at Karelian Heritage we can hold somewhat of an expert opinion, since we have worked with shungite for quite a time now and studied it even longer. So our expertise in the field will help us to clear some misconceptions about shungite or just explain some peculiarities about this magnificent stone so you could enjoy its properties without any fear or doubt about its authenticity.

      First of all, you should know that any genuine shungite stone may leave traces after you touch it on your hands, or if it has touched your clothes, shungite can leave stains on it. It is completely normal and shows the authenticity of the stone. This comes from a high consistency of carbon in shungite and even polished items still can have some residue and leave traces. What you can do to make traces minimal is to wash your shungite item under warm water and you can do this regularly if the black traces and stains are a problem for you. 

      Another thing that often raises questions about the stone’s quality from our clients is the rusty spots that can be found on elite shungite nuggets. Again, this is nothing to worry about, as it is the result of natural processes of corrosion. Even the best crystal, being thousands of years old, are subjected to crystal and chemical corrosion and sings of it still remain after they are excavated and produced. It doesn’t mean that the particular nugget is bad or damaged; on the contrary it confirms the natural origin of the stone. If these rusted spots make you uncomfortable you can simply get rid of them yourself, just clean it with a needle or a small brush (e.g. toothbrush) and wash it afterwards. Usually, we attach individual photos to each unique stone we sell, so you can see in which state they are before you buy it. Natural corrosion can also occur after continuous water purification with the stone, but it can be rid of just as easily. Another important thing to remember about elite shungite stones is that they are fragile. Some of them already have natural cracks so you should handle them with care.  

      Sometimes you can confuse with cracks and imperfections the infusions of other minerals in shungite items. They can appear in any shungite type and be present in tumbled stones, spheres, pyramids, jewelry pieces, etc. This phenomenon occurs also because of the old age of shungite deposits. Through the millennia when shungite deposits were being formed they were slightly fusing with other minerals that were lying around in the Earth nearby. These infusions don’t affect the integrity or solidity of the item neither them affect its properties. Quite the contrary, the physical and metaphysical properties of these minerals add up to the properties of shungite, enhancing the crystal healing and spiritual growth. The most common infusions come from quartz and pyrite, but there can be other minerals and each of them brings something new to the table.

      Of course, these are the most common questions or misconceptions about shungite that we get from our clients, but they are not the only one. We always look to unveil all the secrets or misunderstandings about our favorite shungite and shungite items. So, if you have other questions, feel free to write them in the comment section below and we will answer them in future articles. We would love for you to become experts on shungite just as we are and we will try our best to make this come true!