SHUNGITE SPECIMENS

Named after a village in Russia nearest to the location in which it was discovered, shungite is a rather interesting mineraloid made up of over 98 percent carbon. Geologists believe that shungite may be Precambrian in age, formed nearly 2 billion years ago! This mineraloid is typically a lustrous, fairly reflective silver to black that exhibits a conchoidal fracture pattern similar to that of obsidian or glass. Shungite lacks any crystalline structure, which is why it is classified as a mineraloid.

Stones that contain shungite are often referred to as shungite, but shungite only refers to the actual mineraloid. For a stone to be accurately considered shungite it must contain at least 98% carbon by weight. Shungite has also been reported to contain trace amounts of fullerenes.

Collectors may enjoy a variety of shungite's unique properties: its similarity to glass, its brilliant reflective luster, and its apparent water purification capabilities. Overall, shungite is quite a snazzy substance to behold!