Published January 2021  •  Updated March 2024  •  Read Time: 7 minutes
Charoite is a rare purple crystal found only in the Sakha Republic in Siberia, Russia.  It was discovered when the Soviet Union was building the legendary trans-Siberian railroad, the longest rail in the world.  While digging a tunnel, some seemingly unremarkable stones were extracted.  Eventually someone thought to polish one of these stones and a vivid purple emerged! Charoite helps us to travel.  It gives us the courage and strength to transform ourselves. It reminds us to be patient with our personal journey, despite the ups and downs.  Charoite promises us that if we open our heart and give love a chance, we will arrive at our own Happily Every After.

Charoite

Charoite Meaning

Spiritual Healing Properties

Charoite is a mighty stone for transformation and transition; bringing us courage, strength, and resilience. It is both grounding and uplifting, idealistic and practical. It teaches us that we are here to do great things with our lives – to be of service in our own unique way and to spread Light to others. Charoite invites us to love more and to show that love in all we do. Charoite has a very romantic energy, which is directly linked to our spiritual life, encouraging us to blissfully dance with the Divine. It activates our psychic abilities and healing powers, and clears away negative energy replacing it with the pure power of unconditional love.

Metaphysical Properties Charoite
Chakra Root, Solar Plexus, Heart, Third Eye, and Crown
Element Wind
Numerology 7
Zodiac Scorpio and Sagittarius

Emotional Healing Properties

Charoite has a very relaxing energy, helping us to let go of stress and worry. It whispers that we are exactly where we are meant to be. During difficult times, Charoite reminds us that this is merely a “season” of our life, meant to teach us something important so that we can become the person we are meant to be. Sometimes we resist the path we are meant to follow, for a variety of reasons. Charoite helps us to gently accept that when we follow our true path, it will lead to peace and happiness. No one can choose our path for us, it is ultimately a sweet agreement between us and the Divine. Charoite helps us to let go of other people’s perceptions and influences, so we can stand on our own. Charoite helps us to let go of relationships that no longer serve us and to empower and renew relationships that bring Light into our lives. Charite is a fairy-tale stone, showing us the way to our own “happily ever after.”

Mental Healing Properties

Charoite celebrates independent thinking and proactive actions. Charoite reminds us that all situations are either inside our control, and thus able to be successful resolved, or outside of our control, and therefore not worth our time and energy. If something is outside of our control, but still of great interest, then Charoite encourages us to be more thoughtful and find the part of the situation that IS in our control. How can we change our small part in a large problem? How can we create positive long-lasting change? We might not be able to solve every problem, but Charoite teaches us that we CAN solve, or at least positively affect, any problem we set our minds to.

Physical Healing Properties

Charoite is recommended for anyone on the autistic spectrum as well as for caregivers who need extra support.  It helps us to remember that everyone is different and all of us have to figure out how to live in this crazy, confusing, noisy world.  What works for one person, might not work for another person, and that is okay!  Charoite reminds us that we are all trying our best and that we all want to feel safe, happy, and comfortable.  For caregivers, Charoite’s gently teaches us that real compassion protects the other person’s self-respect.  So be gentle with the hearts and minds of the people in our care.  For those on the autistic spectrum, Charoite reminds us to celebrate our super powers and to enjoy whatever makes us happy.  When used intentionally, Charoite is an excellent talisman for learning to read faces and body language.  It is also a lovely talisman for the physical heart and nervous system in general.

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Charoite Mineralogy

Where does Charoite come from?

Charoite is located exclusively in the Sakha Republic, a large Russian satellite state located in Siberia.

Mining and Treatments

The original source for Charoite was a rockpile that was created in the 1940s when a railroad tunnel was dug through a mountain.  In their rough natural state, the Charoite rockpile that was In its natural raw state, Charoite didn’t gather much attention on the international market. It wasn’t until 1978 that polished forms became available. Since then, demand has been high and the area has been actively mined.  Reports suggest that no heavy equipment can access the area since it is remote and treacherous, and so the mining is done using hand tools and small machinery.

All Charoites are completely natural, enhanced only by cutting, polishing, and tumbling.

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Russia

The Environmental & Social Impact of Crystals

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Mineral Family

Charoite is a rare inosilicate mineral. Silicates are minerals which contain the elements Silicon (a light gray shiny metal) and Oxygen (a colorless gas). Together, these two elements form a tetrahedron – a shape similar to a pyramid – with a Silicon atom in the center and Oxygen atoms at each of the four corners. These tetrahedra connect with other chemical structures, in six different ways, to form various minerals and rocks. There are six main groups of Silicate minerals, and these main groups are further subdivided into secondary subdivisions, such as Quartz and Feldspar. Charoite belongs to the Inosilicate group, which is divided into single-chain and double-chain minerals.  Charoite is an odd crystal because it can form as either a single or a double!

Charoite’s energy works well with its family – other inosilicate minerals.  Try it in combination with Cat’s Eye Quartz, Diopside, Hawk’s Eye, Hiddenite, Jadite, Kunzite, Rhodonite, and Shattuckite

Charoite Formation and Crystal Associates

Charoite is created when under a very specific geological situation in which Synite (a type of igneous rock) intrudes into Limestone (a sedimentary rock).  Thus far this has only happened in one known location deep in the heart of Siberia.

Charoite’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment.  Try it in combination with Galena, Quartz

What is mixed with purple Charoite?

In its purest form, Charoite is a spectacular purple.  But most pieces also have swirling patterns with bits of black, green or white mixed with the purple Charoite.  Most of the colors are from tiny pieces of Dolomite, the matrix rock that Charoite forms within.  When Charoite is examined under a microscope, numerous inclusions are almost always present including both rare and common minerals.  If the other inclusions are more prominent, then the stone is considered a metamorphic rock and may be called Charoitite.  If the purple Charoite is the dominate mineral, then it is usually called Charoite despite the inclusions.

Mineralogy Charoite
Chemical Formula (K,Na)4Ca8 3H2O
Cleavage Good
Color Lilac-colored to violet, white or black spots
Crystal System Monoclinic
Form/Habit Massive, fiberous
Fracture Uneven
Hardness – Mohs Scale 4.5-5
Luminescence  Blueish-white, weak (long and short waves)
Luster Vitreous
Mineral Family Single-chain Inosilicates
Specific Gravity  2.54-2.78
Streak White
Transparency Translucent, opaque

History of Charoite

Charoite was discovered in the 20th century and so has few healing traditions associated with it.  It’s history begins sometime in the 1940s, while the USSR was building the trans-Siberian railroad.  While working on the section that goes through the Kodar Mountains, in the satellite state of the Sakha Republic, the railroad men had to blast several tunnel.  This of course left rockpiles to the side of the new railway.  The relatively plain-looking mountain rock wasn’t immediately recognized as having any value.  But, at some point a piece was polished and it was discovered that the mountain rocks actually contained a vivid purple gemstone.  In 1978, this stone was named in honor of the Chara River that runs nearby.

The trans-Siberian railroad remains the longest railroad in the world, spanning 5867 miles (9441 kilometers) from Moscow to the sea of Japan. Construction started during the imperial period and then was interrupted by the Russian Revolution and the world wars.  Today it is the most important transportation link in Russia for both cargo and domestic passengers. Even at the fastest speed, it takes 7 days to cross the full expanse.

Chara River, Charoite

Chara River, Sakha Republic, Russia

The Charoite deposit is in the Sakha Republic which is in eastern Russia, close to Alaska.  It is an extremely cold region.  The main city, Yakutsk is considered the coldest city in the world, including the lowest temperatures ever recorded outside of Antarctica.  The main industry in the region is mining, mostly gold, diamond, tin and coal.  Some of these mines are huge industrial pit mines, but active mining may occur underground, especially during the winter months.  Charoite, by contrast, is a very minor mineral that is only mined on an artisanal or small-scale.

Additional References:

  1. Charoite, mindat.com
  2. King, Hobart. Charoite: A purple mineral, gem material and ornamental stone, geology.com
  3. Trans-Siberian Railroad, brittania.com

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