Shungite Tumbled Stones from Russia
Premium-grade shungite tumbled stones carefully chosen for our collection of rocks and minerals.
Shungite is a relatively rare, naturally occurring, non-crystalline solid that contains varying amounts of carbon. For this reason, it’s highly sought after for its metaphysical healing properties.
Tumbled shungite contains less carbon than elite shungite, so it's not as expensive. Elite shungite contains 90% to 98% carbon and, due to its rarity, is not tumbled or used for carving.
Tumbled shungite, which is shungite-bearing rock, contains 1% to 60% carbon. The problem with buying shungite tumbled stones is knowing how much carbon they contain, which is not easy to establish.
Generally, shungite tumbled stones with a higher percentage of carbon are lighter because they're composed of more carbon than rock. The stone's colour also tends to be darker for the same reason.
The lustre of higher-grade shungite is far more vitreous than lower-grade stones, which can be distinctively dull. Stones with a dull lustre absorb light instead of reflecting it.
Another good clue as to how much carbon tumbled shungite contains is price, because shungite is not cheap. Furthermore, with the ongoing political situation, import duties and tariffs on goods from Russia have risen sharply. Therefore, many companies are now buying shungite tumbled stones from China.
Unless you plan on having a stone tested, which is neither practical nor common for most rocks and minerals, you have no choice but to trust what the supplier tells you.
In the UK, the price of laboratory testing for geological purposes varies depending on the complexity of the analysis. Testing and certification typically start at around £25 per stone but can rise significantly depending on the tools and equipment used.
Some online retailers claim their shungite is certified, which raises the question of who is issuing the certification.
One UK business told me it comes from their supplier in Russia, while a wholesaler in China said the testing and certification of their tumbled shungite is done in-house.
Having been in this business for a very long time and bought rocks and minerals locally in Africa, Asia and the U.S.A., I've learnt many valuable lessons. One of the most important is having strong, long-standing relationships with legitimate, trustworthy suppliers, which are not easy to find.
Fake crystals are a growing problem, and the vast majority come from China. The latest trend seems to be mixing fake stones with genuine ones, making detection even more difficult.
If a business provides a certificate of authentication, then every stone must be tested in an approved geological testing laboratory. A certificate issued by anyone else is not worth the paper it's printed on.
These premium-grade shungite tumbled stones were individually chosen for our collection. Size varies from medium to large.
For smaller quantities, we'll choose larger stones, but for larger quantities, sizes will be mixed.
Please bear in mind that these tumbled stones were produced in Russia, and shungite is a relatively soft, natural stone.
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