Elite shungite and classical shungite are popular water stones.  In water treatment, the stones are placed directly into the water to transfer information to it. Often after a certain period of use, orange stains can be seen on the stone surface.  This applies to both classical and precious shungite.

The origin and causes of rust stains on shungite

If an orange stain forms on shungite, it is usually due to pyrite (sulphur gravel).  By its nature, the shungite mineral contains many additional elements, including pyrite, which can oxidise when combined with moisture.  As a result, rust stains appear on the stone surface.  This phenomenon does not only occur with shungite. Many minerals contain metals, such as olivine, hematite and many others, which is why they also show rust stains.

In shungite, orange stains are a sign of authenticity, along with other characteristics such as electrical conductivity.  In classical shungite, pyrite and quartzite are clearly visible, as in the following photograph from Lake Onega.

In the photo you can see shungite stone at the site of its discovery in Karelia.  In the wild, orange stains can often be seen on the surface.

The aforementioned inclusions are also present in elite shungite.  But when the mineral was formed, these elements were probably mixed into a homogeneous mass under the action of high temperature and pressure.  Therefore, in a dry state, they are barely distinguishable.

However, there is no genuine classical or elite shungite that does not contain these inclusions.  In some stones there are a little more of them, in others – a little less.

What do rust stains have to do with quality?

Orange stains are not a sign of quality. The number of spots says nothing about the quality of the stone.  It is only if there are too many of them on the mineral surface that it is not worth using these stones for water purification. Too many rust stains are extremely rare; they may cause water damage.

Please have a look at the photos. I have tried to demonstrate the difference between a normal number and too many rust stains on shungite.

In the photo you can see elite shungite with orange stains in normal condition.

In the photo you can see elite shungite with lots of orange stains.

In the photo you can see classical shungite with orange stains in normal condition.

In the photo you can see a classical shungite with too many orange stains.

Are rust stains dangerous?

If you don't have too much rust on your water stones, it's perfectly safe.  Even if you have a stone with slightly more rust stains than usual, this is nothing to worry about.  Rust stains are harmless, but I don't recommend using such a stone for water purification in the future. Deal with this stone; it is often just one of several.  In this case, you can contact us and we will exchange the stone – provided you purchased it from us.

Removal of rust stains

Rust stains can be removed, but they usually return over time. For larger stones that can still be easily held with your fingers, you can try to clean the stains. Use something sharp or a plastic brush for this.  An old toothbrush, even an electric toothbrush, works best.

In the photo you can see scraping rust stains on classical shungite.

The photo shows cleaning precious shungite with an electric toothbrush.

Although rare, small stones are more likely to have excessive amounts of rust stains. This is because the surface area of small stones is much larger compared to their weight.

I wouldn't recommend cleaning stones that are too small to hold with your fingers. This would be too difficult and the rust stains would probably come back very quickly.  It is best to sort out the affected stones.

Shungite is a natural product

Too many rust stains are a rare exception. Once dry, they are hardly noticeable. Rust stains are usually only clearly visible after the stone has come into contact with moisture.  Shungite is a natural product and we offer it in its natural condition in our shop. It can be compared to a health food store apple that may have dark spots, but was produced without preservatives or genetic engineering.