Is it Genuine Shungite?

Shungite – is it genuine?

The first thing you need to know about Shungite is that there are three main types, Type I or Elite or Noble, Type II or Petrovsky and Type III. The Shungite I sell here at everbeyondradio.com is either Noble or type III.

How to tell if it’s genuine.
Genuine Shungite is quite light for its weight. comparable silicon rocks are much denser, and heavier to the feel. It almost feels like you have a type of plastic in your hand.

Type III is quite soft, and you can scratch it with a piece of metal easily. It can be carved and polished, but because of its softness, the polish can lose its lustre after handling. Most Shungite pendants and ornaments are therefore made of Type III.

Type I Shungite is quite hard, and is brittle, it breaks like glass. It has a much shinier surface, and if it were to be scratched with some hard steel, you will see wisps of the powdered shattered shungite come off from the surface. It does not for this reason carve very well, and you would generally obtain it in chunks.

The biggest tell though is that all types of Shungite conduct electricity like metal, with a low resistance. A simple multimeter or continuity tester will show this, but here is a very easy way (thanks to Nancy and Walt for this tip): Take a torch (flashlight) and remove the end cap, bridge the battery to the outer case with your piece of potential Shungite, and if it lights, then you are dealing with Shungite. No other rock or stone conducts electricity like Shungite does.