Easy Steps to Check the Authenticity of Shungite

      One of the most frequently asked questions is about the authenticity of our shungite products. It is a really important issue because only genuine shungite stones possess all these unique properties shungite known for. 

      Trying to increase their profits many modern entrepreneurs create different fraudulent schemes and sell some other black materials under the guise of authentic shungite. Quite often it is just shungite schist or shungizite. Obviously, the price of “fake” shungite is much lower for entrepreneurs but it doesn’t mean that it will be cheaper for customers. Besides, fake shungite stones don’t have any positive impact on the human body and sometimes can even do harm. Therefore, it is crucial to be able to distinguish authentic shungite stones from fake ones by yourself to avoid frauds and not to damage your health. Here is our simple advice.

Authenticity at a glance

      First and foremost, you should know how genuine shungite looks. There are three different types of Shungite (I, II, and III) in terms of the proportion of carbon in stones’ composition. Type III and type II Shungite known as regular shungite contain from 30 to 50 and from 50 to 90 percent of carbon respectively.

      Raw regular shungite is a grayish color mineral. When it is brushed but not polished it has dull black color with a grey shade. And, finally, when it is polished authentic regular shungite becomes a rich black mineral with some bright shade.

Type I shungite is called Elite Shungite and it contains up to 98 percent of organic carbon. It differs greatly from regular shungite stones and has a shiny silvery surface with a metallic luster. In order to check the authenticity of raw elite shungite (type I) you can assess its solidity. Elite shungite is a very fragile material. It is sometimes even called glassy carbon. Thus, if a stone breaks into small pieces in your hands it is an authentic shungite. But you should remember that it is true only for raw elite shungite stones since regular shungite has a rather solid structure. Besides, any further processing increases the firmness of the item.

      Moreover, it is necessary to mention that both polished and non-polished regular shungite stones may leave small black stains on your clothes and skin. The reason for it is a high amount of carbon in Shungite's composition. Therefore, it is a natural property of the mineral and can be an additional verifying sign of the authenticity of the product. To get rid of this black residue you can just wash your shungite items carefully under warm running water. It is particularly important for pendants or other items with holes where shungite after-production dust can stock.

      However, you should take into account that quite often polishing and other manufacturing procedures help to avoid any black stains. So if your shungite products don’t make your hands or clothes dirty it doesn’t mean that they are made of fake shungite stones.

In addition, speaking about different types of shungite it’s necessary to point out that shungite stones of all three types are authentic. They are just applied for different purposes. Regular shungite stones also are more available. The major part of shungite mined in the Republic of Karelia is regular shungite while the deposits of elite shungite are really scarce. Besides, regular shungite stones can be easily polished and shaped. That’s why all shaped shungite products at the market, such as Pyramids, Spheres, Jewelry items, are made of them.

      Although the black color is the first distinguishing sign of genuine shungite, it may be impure and often has infusions of brown, gray, or golden colors. These are infusions of other minerals, for example, golden-colored pyrite, that is found in the same layer as shungite.

      Thus, if you notice strings of these colors going through your pyramid, sphere or any other shungite item it doesn’t mean the stone is not authentic. This tells us that the piece of the stone which was used for making your item had infusions of pyrite. This is more visible when the item is not polished or if the polishing of the item gets worse after the period of intensive use of the item.

More sophisticated testings

      However, it may be hard even for sophisticated specialists to distinguish genuine shungite from the fake one at a glance. There is a rather simple but reliable method to check shungite authenticity by means of a small experiment. It is all about the electrical conductivity all original shungite stones have. High electrical conductivity, which is not typical of rocks, is caused by a high proportion of carbon and iron impurities in shungite’s composition.

      To put it shortly, in order to tell authentic shungite from any kind of imitations you just need a battery, a bulb, and two wires. Then you need to create an electric streamline from the battery to the bulb. One wire should be connected to the battery and the other – to the bulb. Now you should place a shungite stone or any shungite item between them. If shungite is authentic, the bulb lightens. To simplify the process you can find an ohmmeter or multimeter and make all necessary measurements.

      One more sign of shungite authenticity is the price. Genuine shungite cannot cost cheap especially elite one which accounts for less than 1 percent of all shungite found. But, of course, to get a 100% assessment of shungite stones or shungite products quality you need to carry out a comprehensive laboratory study including microscopic scrutiny and other tests.

      Although you always can check the authenticity of shungite it is better to take preventive measures and reduce the possibility of fraud. For this purpose, we recommend you to buy shungite items directly from the Republic of Karelia without dealers. Since the shop and production facilities of Karelian Heritage Company are located at the heart of shungite lands, near the major deposit of genuine shungite, we offer you direct access to shungite stones. We can guarantee the authenticity and high quality of all items you can find in our product listings. All necessary documents and certificates for them can be requested.