Metaphysical Properties
2 billion years old. A very positive stone, bringing with it a variety of blessings & a healthy life. It has phenomenal shielding power. Contains virtually all the minerals in the periodic table. A rare carbon mineral composed of Fullerenes which enable it to shield electromagnetic fields. It cleanses water of pesticides, free radicals, bacteria & the like, then infuses it with potent healing vibrations. It has been used in Russia for a long time & is well known for its healing miracles. The anti-bacterial properties of Shungite has been confirmed by modern testing.
Healing: Powerful immune booster, counteracts insomnia, headaches & effects of stress. Shungite water treats sore throats, cardio-vascular disease, burns, diabetes, arthritis, Kidney & liver disorders, chronic fatigue & much more.
Geology / History
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid consisting of more than 98 weight percent of carbon. It was first described from a deposit near Shun'ga village, in Karelia, Russia, from which it is named. Shungite is reported to contain fullerenes.
The term "Shungite" was originally used in 1879 to describe this mineraloid. More recently the term has also been used to describe Shungite-bearing rocks, leading to some confusion. Shungite-bearing rocks have also been classified purely on their carbon content, with Shungite-1 having a carbon content in the range 98-100 weight percent. Shungite-2, -3, -4 & -5 having contents in the ranges 35-80 percent, 20-35 percent, 10-20 percent & less than 10 percent, respectively. In a further classification, Shungite is subdivided into bright, semi-bright, semi-dull & dull on the basis of their lustre. The terms lustrous & matte are also used for bright & dull.
Shungite has two main modes of occurrence, disseminated within the host rock & as apparently mobilised material. Migrated Shungite, which is bright (lustrous) Shungite, has been interpreted to represent migrated hydrocarbons & is found as either layer Shungite, layers or lenses near conformable with the host rock layering. Vein shungite is found as cross-cutting veins. Shungite may also occur as clasts within younger sedimentary rocks.
Shungite has been used in medical treatment since the early 18th-century. Peter the Great set up Russia's first spa in Karelia to make use of the water purifying properties of shungite, which he had himself experienced. He also instigated its use in providing purified water for the Russian army. Shungite has been used since the middle of the 18th-century as a pigment for paint & is currently sold under the names Carbon black or Shungite natural black.
In the 1970s, shungite was exploited in the production of an insulating material known as Shungisite. Shungisite is prepared by heating rocks with low Shungite concentrations to 1090–1130 °C & is used as a low density filler.