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Larimar Properties, Meaning, Facts and Photos

rough piece of the mineral larimar

Larimar from Dominican Republic

The meaning of larimar extends far beyond the beauty of this relatively rare stone.

Found only in the Dominican Republic, it holds a profound holistic significance due to its connection with the lost city of Atlantis.

Larimar is said to evoke the soothing and healing essence of the Caribbean Sea, promoting tranquility, clarity and inner peace.

Its delicate blue hues represent a connection between Earth and celestial realms.  It encourages communication with higher beings and enhances spiritual awareness.

Larimar embraces the essence of serenity and spirituality and creates a profound connection to the natural world.

What is Larimar?

Larimar is a trade name for a variety of the mineral pectolite. Its crystal habit is massive.  This means crystals grow as one large intergrown mass.  The result is a mineral in which individual crystals have no external visible shape or form.

The Las Filipinas mine where larimar is found is in the Barahona Province in the south west of the country.  It's a remote mountainous region surrounded by a subtropical forest.

Larimar exhibits a unique and intricate structure.  Its primary component is blue pectolite but it also contains other minerals such as calcite, natrolite, prehnite, clay, silicon dioxide minerals and phosphates (apatite).

Some geologists have described it as pectolite rock due to its complex mineral properties. Others argue it's more accurate to classify larimar as a 'polymineral' because its formation doesn't follow the conventional process normally used to define a typical rock.

Larimar is often described as the 'gem of the Caribbean'.  This is not only because of where it's found but also because its colour and markings resemble the Caribbean Sea.

A spiritual master once claimed the islands in the Caribbean were part of the lost continent of Atlantis.  He said one day they would produce a blue stone with the power to heal.  In the belief this was a reference to larimar the name Atlantis Stone started being used.

In 1916 the first official record of larimar was made by the parish priest of Barahona.  He requested permission to excavate the land but permission was denied.  There was no further mention of larimar until 1974.

After hearing local fisherman had been finding beautiful blue stones on the beach, a local artisan went to investigate. He was accompanied by an American Peace Corps volunteer who was also a geologist.

The mine was found approximately ten kilometres up in the rugged mountains that line the coast.  Stones were being carried down to the beach in a river that empties into the sea.

The stone was initially named 'travelina' but was later changed to 'larimar'.  This was a combination of 'Larissa' who was the artisan's daughter and the Spanish word 'mar' meaning 'sea'.

The colour of larimar has shown to be stable which means it doesn't fade when exposed to sunlight.  Tests have concluded that it's not being enhanced before being cut and polished.

Safety Concerns in Las Filipinas

The only place in the world where larimar can be be found is the Las Filipinas mine. 

In the early days it was extracted with basic equipment such shovels and pickaxes.  Stone was then winched up steep vertical shafts to the surface.  There was little planning and minimal ventilation and drainage. 

This method of mining continued until quite recently.  In the last twenty years there have been at least eighteen fatalities with two happening within weeks of each other.

The Dominican authorities finally intervened. 

Improvements have been made to the Las Filipinas mine and are ongoing.  They include upgrading drainage systems and ventilation and constructing a new 1000 metre tunnel to the heart of the mine.  It includes an escape route for use in an emergency. 

The mine was closed for several years whilst work was carried out.  It's difficult to know for certain whether it's currently open or still closed. 

Larimar Healing Properties

Larimar helps to balance extremes of emotion, encourages tolerance, relaxes conscious awareness and broadens experience of space and time.

It awakens inner wisdom when moving through periods of stress and change and enables challenges to be met whilst remaining level headed.

It draws you closer to your soul mate and helps heal heartache and pain following the breakdown of a relationship.

Larimar emits a gentle healing energy that promotes physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. It can be used to reduce stress and restore balance within the mind and body.

Larimar enhances the ability to connect with nature.  It allows you to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the natural world.

It can help you feel more in tune with the energy of plants, animals and ecosystems fostering a sense of harmony and interconnectedness.

It heightens environmental awareness making you more conscious of your impact on the planet.

Larimar can inspire you to adopt sustainable practices, reduce waste and actively participate in conservation efforts thus promoting a greater sense of responsibility and stewardship towards nature.

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