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Fake vs Real Shungite
Are you sure your Shungite is real? Is it a fake being passed off as the real deal? Are you confusing another stone for Shungite? Let's learn to identify genuine Shungite crystals for your collection.
Watch the Real vs Fake Shungite video to see examples, and read below for even more tips and tricks.
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How can you tell if your Shungite is real?
The best way to determine if your Shungite is genuine is to purchase it from a reputable seller who is knowledgeable about the item they are selling. They should be able to answer your questions, and if they don't have the answer, they will say so rather than make something up!
Because Shungite is a rare stone found in only one locality, it is often imitated.
If you do not have access to a reputable seller, here are some tips to follow to tell if your Shungite is real:
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Real Shungite is a 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. This makes it a relatively soft stone that will be easily scratched by harder materials like glass, which is a 5 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness.
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Real Shungite will always have high electrical conductivity. This can be tested in several ways using a battery and a lightbulb, a flashlight, or an electrical multimeter.
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Real Shungite can scroll your phone. Because of its electrical conductivity, Shungite stones can activate your touchscreens. Other materials can do this also if they have electrical conductivity.
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Real Shungite only comes from Russia. It should not come from Colombia, India, China, etc. There may be rare deposits in other countries, but they are not of the same quality.
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Real Shungite will never have air bubbles or mold marks. Air bubbles and mold marks are an indication of glass. Use a magnifying jeweler's loupe to help you see into the stone.
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Real Shungite will have inclusions. Notice your stone's mineral inclusions, veins, craters, dips, and imperfections. You may have gold Pyrite or shiny Mica in your Shungite. You may not find inclusions in a fake.
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Real Shungite will always have a black streak. This will match its outward appearance, unlike other stones, which may have a different powder streak than its color implies. Check out the crystal streak test.
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Real Shungite will not leak color. Testing with acetone should not remove any color from the stone.
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Real Shungite will stain black. Because of its high carbon content, it will stain skin, paper, fabric, and other materials. If coated with resin, your Shungite may not stain. Polished Shungite will stain less than rough Shungite.
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Real Shungite has a specific gravity of 1.9 to 2.4. It is relatively lightweight compared to other stones of the same size. Here is a video on how to measure your stone's density at home.
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Real Shungite has a refractive index range of 2.0-2.2. This test requires a refractometer.
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Real Shungite will always be black. It may have a metallic, silvery, gray tone, sometimes referred to as shotgun black, but it will never be another color.
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Real Shungite will always be opaque. You will never find translucency in Shungite.
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Real Shungite is cold to the touch. Like other stones, it is cool and heats up quickly in your hand, whereas other materials like plastic or resin will be warmer. However, glass and many other real gemstones are cold to the touch as well, so this technique may be used to rule out synthetics like plastic.
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Real Shungite is not magnetic. It may have magnetic mineral inclusions, but Shungite itself does not have a magnetic charge.
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Real Shungite is heat-resistant. This is in comparison to materials like plastic and resin that quickly melt and smell burnt under a flame or with a hot pinpoint.
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Real Shungite should be priced accordingly. Real Shungite will have a higher price point than common black stones. Elite Shungite will be higher than regular Shungite.
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Real Shungite may bubble in water. You may see tiny bubbles forming in the water around your stone. This is nitrogen gas. Best done with raw Shungite.
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Real Elite Shungite is brittle. If you have a raw piece, it will crumble under pressure.
- Real Shungite is usually amorphous. It doesn't have any crystal structure. Rarely real Shungite may have small patches of structure, but in general, they are freeform lumps.
Some of these tests are destructive, so only conduct them on pieces you aren't worried about.
None of these tests is conclusive in itself. If you are still unsure, you can send your Shungite to a certified gemological laboratory for testing. You can also find additional tips in the Crystal Identification Help.
Is Jet stone the same as Shungite?
Jet stone is a black and lightweight material like Shungite, but it is a fossilized wood and not a rock at all. Jet has no electric conductivity (it is an insulator) and will not be able to scroll your phone.
Jet stone is even lighter than Shungite at 1.3-1.4 specific gravity compared to Shungite's 1.9-2.4.
Jet stone is coveted in its own right, but know the difference when you are shopping!
Is Hematite the same as Shungite?
Hematite can look like Elite Shungite in its metallic black form, but they are different stones. Hematite is an abundant iron oxide and is much heavier than the rare and lightweight Elite Shungite.
While Hematite does have an electrical charge and will be able to scroll your phone, it will not register on a multimeter like Shungite will.
Hematite will sometimes show red Iron oxidation, but will not show Pyrite or Quartz inclusions like Shungite does.
Real Hematite is valuable for its own properties, so make sure you know what you are buying.
Is Obsidian the same as Shungite?
Obsidian is a stone of volcanic glass. In their rough formation, they may look similar, but Obsidian will have a shinier, glassier look than Shungite. In its raw form, Shungite is often matte.
Obsidian will not crumble in your hands as metallic Elite Shungite will. It is a sturdier and heavier stone than Shungite.
Is Shungite always conductive?
Real Shungite is always conductive; it will always allow an electrical charge to flow. Most other stones in your collection will not have a charge and are insulators. Or, if they do, their charge will be weaker (this could include Pyrite, Galena, Cinnabar, and Sphalerite).
Metals in your collection may have the same conductivity as Shungite, so you will have to rule them out in another way. These could include Silver, Copper, and Gold.
How do you test Shungite on a multimeter?
Watch the video to see how we test Shungite on the multimeter here at Satin Crystals.
A multimeter is a device used to check for electric charge, usually by electricians. They are relatively cheap and will give you a quick reading. We use a manual meter and set the dial to ohms (Ω).
To test that your multimeter is working, touch the two probes together (red and black). The meter should read zero. Then, you can proceed to test your stones. Touch the probes on opposite ends of your stone (make sure your fingers are only touching the plastic parts of the prongs).
If it is Real Shungite, the meter will read zero. If the Shungite is of lower quality, it may give you a weaker reading, but it will always make some movement.
Other readings may indicate that you have a fake Shungite. Sometimes, there may be a little bit of real Shungite in the stone, but it is pressed, stabilized, or reconstituted from powder, mixed with resin, or bonded with other materials, and it will give you a weaker reading. Further tests will be required.
If you don't have a multimeter, you can also test with a battery and a lightbulb or a battery-powered flashlight. However, we tried the flashlight method, and it was not as reliable as the multimeter.
What is Colombian Shungite?
Colombian Shungite, also known as Raquirite, is a carbon-based stone from Colombia. Remember, real Shungite is only from Russia.
Shop Real Shungite Stones
The power of real Shungite can never be replaced by fakes. Go ahead, try it for yourself. Here are real gemstones from the Satin Crystals Shungite Collection to add to your treasures.
Shungite Continued
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