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Elite Shungite is one of the most wonderful stones on the planet. I love the look and feel of the silvery glossy goodness. Shungite is used for a variety of purposes, from cleansing of water, crystal healing, EMF protection and of course for wearing as jewellery.
Some pieces of Elite Shungite may have a little “rusty” discolouration to it. I am often asked as to what this discoloration is, so in this blog I will endeavour to answer that question. I have seen one ill-informed person to claim that Elite Shungite is fake if it has this rusty discolouration on it. That is quite funny as the opposite is true, the absence of this “rust” points more to the Elite being fake rather than authentic.
We knowingly purchased some fake Elite recently. It was almost too perfect and it was heavier than Elite and also a lot cheaper. It looked like it was made in a laboratory and we suspect it is something called Terahertz.
What is rust?
Pretty simply, rust is a laymans term meaning oxidation of a material. In and around the Shungite deposits we often find pyrites. The “rust” is called Jarosite and is derived from the oxidation of pyrite and other iron bearing sulphides. The Shungite is not rusting, it is the material on it or near it. Typically, the rust forms into material that is a yellow/orange colour. We have all seen a piece of rusty/oxidised steel so we can see in our minds eye the colour.
As you have probably read, Shungite has been in the ground for around 2 billion years. Karelia is a damp, rainy and humid region (over 80% at some times of the year), a perfect weather combination for oxidation of material. Coupled with the fact that there is a lot of iron and pyrite adjacent to the Shungite deposits then it is inevitable for the rust staining to occur.
In this picture, you can see the yellow/orange oxidation of a genuine piece of Elite Shungite.
Now that we know why the staining occurs and that is a natural occurrence and the staining occurs due to the location of other minerals present near the Shungite, I can assure you that it does not affect the properties of the Shungite. Typically, the rust discolouration will occur on the surface of the stones.
Will the rust affect my Shungite?
It is important to remember that having a bit of rust on your piece of Elite will NOT affect Shungites powerful properties at all. I use these stones at home for my water. Elite is great around the home for protection against electro-magnetic fields. It also protects from other negative influences in the environment.
If you really want to, these rust stains can be easily removed using a needle. Carefully peel it off the Shungite and give the stone a good rinse once you have finished. I have never bothered to do this.
As it is a natural thing of beauty, I prefer to keep the original look of the stone.
