Shieldite vs Shungite [Similarities and Differences]

 Is Shieldite the same as Shungite? This is a common question many people ask; in this article we are going to cover their similarities and differences. Shieldite and Shungite are sometimes confused as the same stone due to their similarities in appearance and both being popular in the alternative wellness community. Similarities like this are very common between many minerals or crystals as we often find dozens of different minerals or crystals within the same family.

Mineral and Crystal Family’s

A popular crystal we can use to illustrate how these family trees work is quartz. Quartz at the most basic level is silicon dioxide with quartz itself being a more pure form silicon dioxide. There are over two dozen different crystals that are quartz based.

You can probably guess that crystals such as rose quartz are a form of quartz but the variations of quartz continue into such other crystals as amethyst, aventurine, onyx, jasper, blood stone, binghamite, agate, tigers eye and many more.

All these crystals are quartz with traces other elements mixed in. These additional traces of other elements can significantly change the traits and or appearance of the stone.

https://www.minerals.net/gemstone/tiger%27s_eye_gemstone.aspx

For example Tigers is quartz with compressed crocidolite between the layers of quartz. The iron found in the crocidolite then stains the quartz giving it a brown color.

http://www.quartzpage.de/rose.html

Rose quartz is one of the more identifiable relatives to quartz, largely because of the name. Rose quartz has a mineral that is similar to dumortierite mixed in that makes up about 0.05%-0.15% of its weight which gives rose quartz its color.  This very small additional makes a very significant difference as Rose Quartz does not form any crystals or crystal faces like quartz does.

As you can see very slight composition changes in quartz can have dramatic effects on the structure of the crystal, its appearance and other traits. Quartz is a very simple example to use because of its simplicity, unlike Shieldite or Shungite which are contain larger and broader variations of minerals compounds.

Shieldite and Shungite Mineral Family Tree

Both Shieldite and most Shungite are both Carbonides, meaning they contain over 50% carbon, with a variety of other minerals in their composition. Carbon comes in several different forms called allotropes. Three of those allotropes being different types of fullerenes.

Fullerenes

Fullerenes are something both shieldite and shungite have in common but fullerenes come in a variety of different compositions ranging from C28 to C540. Depending on where the mineral deposit is this fullerene structure will vary changing the traits of the mineral.

Electrical conductivity

Both Shieldite and Shungite also share the ability to conduct an electrical current. This trait is not unique to just them and is found in other carbonides such as graphite. Additionally many minerals which have some metal composition such as iron will also conduct electricity. These include tourmaline, hematite, pyrite, magnetite, wolframite, specularite and many more.

All these listed minerals also have a very close resemblance to both Shieldite and Shungite even though many are not carbonides and instead share similarity is the iron composition which often gives minerals a black or dark color.

https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Minerals/Carbonides

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon

 

 Why is Shungite called Shungite? [Where does it come from?]

Shungite was named after the village its mineral deposit was found by, the village of Shunga in Karelia Russia. It only comes from the Zazhoginskaya mine. In fact almost everything that comes from that mine is labeled as Shungite.

Types of Shungite

If you have researched about Shungite before you have probably read that there are several different grades of shungite type 1-2-3. Other than the name the compositions of each is quite different and by normal standards they should be classified as different minerals.

The exact composition of each type is unclear but it is said that the lowest grade of Shungite is only 30% carbon and over 50% silicon dioxide which means it is closer to quartz and not actually a carbonide. Elite Shungite, on the other hand, is said to be over 90% carbon with no silicon dioxide.

The variety of Shungite is actually more diverse then the entire quartz crystal family!

The name Shungite is not specific to any particular mineral composition and is just the name used to describe a variety of minerals and crystals from one specific mine near the village of Shunga.

The Final Verdict

So what are the exact similarities differences between Shieldite and Shungite? This is a question that cannot be clearly answered as similarities vary from one type of Shungite to the next. Shieldite shares a similar high carbon composition to elite shungite but also has other minerals in the composition that elite shungite does not but a different grade of shungite might have.

We also find the same level of similarities between Shieldite and other types of minerals such as Hematite as well as both contain iron and if you look at a polished Shieldite stone and Hematite stone they look nearly identical.

At the end of the day Shieldite is not Shungite as Shungite only comes from the Zazhoginskaya mine

Minerals and Crystals, Effects on People

Both Minerals and Crystals channel energy and can provide profound positive effects on people.

Energy can be stored within minerals/crystals.  There can be a transduction effect with the mineral/crystal when an external energy passes through the mineral/crystal, and an energy signature is transmitted from the mineral/crystal. This transduction effect can also similarly transmute a harmful energy, rendering it harmless. These various effects are profoundly different with various minerals/crystals with even small differences between one mineral/crystal and another. Minerals/crystals can have beneficial healing and energizing effects but as well come can have harmful effects.

The effect of Shieldite has a powerful transmuting effect from harmful emf’s. Other minerals/crystals such as Shungite will have quite different effects even though it has some common elements to Shieldite.