How Tell If Your Shungite Is Real Or Fake?

Fake Shungite Alert: How to Identify Counterfeit Shungite

Most Shungite sold online is fake or mislabeled. Here’s a clean, fast way to verify stones using: multimeter conductivity, visual tells, and official certificates. I’ve added an optional ORP water test at the end if you want another datapoint you can run at home.

*** UPDATE *** A product called “Jet” that looks and feels like Shungite has appeared on marketplaces. Read this note: Fake vendor warning.

Multimeter Conductivity Test

Real Shungite (especially Type I/II) conducts electricity with essentially zero resistance. Counterfeits typically fail. I test every stone with a multimeter, record the session, and post the video with the product so you can see the reading.

Visual Tells (Hematite + Amazon example)

Hematite

Hematite example

Hematite (iron oxide) is black and can look similar, but fractures jaggedly and behaves differently under a meter. Some sellers mix Hematite with real stones—so you end up with a bag of hits and duds.

Amazon example

Paint on metal fittings = painted rock. Classic tell.

Fake Shungite on Amazon (paint on hook)

Official Lab Certificates

Type 1 (Elite)

Independent lab in Karelia, Russia. Fullerene-rich analysis. Each Elite stone (pendant or loose) ships with photos/video, a unique serial number, and a certificate of origin.

Type 1 Elite Shungite — Official Lab Certificate

Type 2

Durable and ideal for wearables (pendants, plates, bracelets, malas) while still fullerene-rich.

Type 2 Shungite — Official Lab Certificate

With every order at Verified Shungite, you get an actual Authenticity Certificate, with Seal, showing all of the items in your purchase, by serial number, with your name and delivery address (for resale purposes)

ORP Water Test

Want another datapoint? Measure how stones affect water using an ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential) meter. Real Shungite usually lowers ORP versus a control (reducing/antioxidant behavior).

What you need

  • Two identical clean glass jars
  • Distilled water (same source for both)
  • Shungite stones (elite/noble recommended)
  • Digital ORP meter (e.g., EZ-9910)

Steps

  1. Rinse stones (don’t boil).
  2. Fill both jars with the same distilled water.
  3. Add stones to one jar; leave the other as a control.
  4. Wait 15–30 minutes (longer can show a bigger shift).
  5. Rinse the meter with clean distilled water between readings.
  6. Measure and note both readings.

Untreated waters often read +300 to +600 mV (oxidizing). Authentic Shungite typically reduces ORP within that window. Use this alongside conductivity and certificates.