Published February 2015  •  Updated February 2024  •  Read Time: 5 minutes
Nuummite is a metamorphic rock from Nuuk, Greenland.  It is mainly composed of black Anthophyllite and Gedrite, along with other minor mineral inclusions which can add iridescent sparkles in a range of colors. The most sparkle is gold, which is due to the presence of Chalcopyrite and/or Pyrite.  Similar looking metamorphic rocks have been found in California, USA and India.  But only those that were mined in Greenland can be properly called Nuummite.  It is a stone of ancient wisdom and patience.  Its energy helps us to take responsibility for our life and impact and to recognize that we can make a positive difference in the world.

Nuummite

Nuummite Meaning

Spiritual Healing Properties

Nuummite reveals our true nature to ourselves, bringing our Light and Dark sides into focus and showing us our own incredible beauty. It teaches us to be confident and to practice self-care and self-love. By showing ourselves love, we are better able to love others. By honoring ourselves, we also honor the Divine and access our full potential.

Metaphysical Properties Nuummite
Chakra Root, Solar Plexus, and Third Eye
Element Earth and Storm
Numerology 3
Zodiac Sagittarius

Emotional Healing Properties

Nuummite is a wonderful stone for courage, especially for anyone who feels powerless or broken due to past trauma. It reminds us that we are more than just our past, and that we have a responsibility to our current self and our future selves (and to all those we love) to go beyond our trauma and live vibrant, full lives. Nuummite is a very old and wise stone, which can help us remember that “this too shall pass” and that we are continually being given opportunities to grow and become more happy.

Mental Healing Properties

Nuummite teaches us to take personal responsibility for who we are, what we do, and where we end up in life. It is a stone that urges us to “grow up” and leave behind complaining, blaming, and hiding. Nuummite also warns us against false humility or the tendency to pretend to be less than who we are, out of fear that by shining too brightly we might eclipse others around us. Nuummite shows us that being true to ourselves is a our first responsibility, and that we must not be afraid to own our power and brilliance.

Physical Healing Properties

Nuummite is recommended when we need to be calm and patient while our body heals. It reminds us that the body heals at its own pace and that fretting about the speed doesn’t help. Nuummite counsels us to act sensibly and to listen to our body so that we heal as quickly and completely as possible. Nuummite is especially good for workers who think they are “too busy to be sick,” and feel like they can’t take time off. It gently reminds us that our work responsibilities can usually be paused for a short while and that our responsibility to our own health sometimes needs to be our top priority. Nuummite is also an excellent talisman for the colon.

Explore crystals with similar energies

These crystals have an energy similar to Nuummite

Nuummite Mineralogy

Where does Nuummite come from?

The only deposit for Nuummite is found near Nuuk, Greenland.

Mining and Treatments

Nuummite is mined at its primary deposit, near Nuuk, Greenland.

Greenland Placeholder
Greenland

The Environmental & Social Impact of Crystals

Your crystals should have a healing energy that is clean, powerful, & makes a positive difference.

Mineral Family

Nuummite is not a mineral, but rather a Metamorphic rock. As an easy way to understand the difference, think of rocks as being like cookies and minerals as being the ingredients which make up those cookies. Many different minerals are used to create a rock! Nuummite is composed mainly of Anthophyllite and Gedrite, along with other minor mineral inclusions which can add an iridescent sparkle in a range of colors including gold, blue, green, red and violet. The most common color is gold, which is due to the presence of Chalcopyrite and/or Pyrite.

Nuummite’s energy works well with its family – other metamorphic minerals.  Try it in combination with Atlantisite, Buddstone, Cinabrite, Impactite, Picasso Marble, Scheelite Lace, Tiffany Stone, and Unakite

Nuummite Formation and Crystal Associates

Metamorphic rocks are created when an existing Igneous or Sedimentary rock (or potentially another type of Metamorphic rock!) is subjected to new pressures and high temperatures. This causes the atoms and molecules to rearrange themselves into new minerals while still in a hard, solid state. Nuummite was believed to have been formed from an existing Igneous rock over 2800 million years ago, and then underwent a second metamorphic process 2500 million years ago.

Nuummite’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment.  Try it in combination with Iolite

Is my Nuummite Real?

Mineralogy Nuummite
Rock Type Metamorphic Rock
Major Minerals Anthophyllite and Gedrite
Minor Minerals Chalcopyrite, Nickel, Pyrite
Color Black with iridescent inclusions
Texture Course-grained
Transparency Opaque
Special Features

Nuummite is natural rock, but “Nuummite” is a trade name for a type of metamorphosed rock composed mainly of Gedrite and Anthophyllite.  Similar rocks are found in India and the United States.  Sometimes these stones are sold as “Nuummite” too.  For more information, see Is this Nuummite “real”?

History of Nuummite

Nuummite was first described in 1810 by mineralogist K. L Giesecke working near Nuuk, in southern Greenland. Located in a rugged, mountainous region, only accessible by boat, the original Nuummite was black to charcoal grey in color, and when polished showed an astonishing range of iridescent colors. The metaphysical community only discovered this fascinating stone in 1983 when it began to be sold on the open market. As such, it is not included in any lapidary books dated before the 1980s.

During the early 20th century, Nuummite from Greenland was determined to be geologically identical to another rare metamorphic rock called Astrophyllite which is found in numerous locations worldwide. Both of these rocks are principally composed of the minerals Anthophyllite and Gedrite, along with other minor minerals. These combinations create a beautiful flashing stone. Today, the name “Nuummite” should only be used for stones mined near Nuuk, Greenland. All other localities, typically use the more generic name of “Astrophyllite”, although there are also numerous marketing names that may be used instead.

One of the special characteristics of Nuummite that is frequently cited is the great age of this stone. Most rocks and minerals are relatively “young” from a geological perspective, since geological forces are constantly at work. While the stone itself is probably only 2500 million years old, it is mined from an area which has been largely stable for 4 billion years! As a result, Nuummite is often referred to as the “oldest mineral” in the world.

Colorfull Houses At Sunset In The Capital Of Greenland, Nuuk, Nuummite

Nuuk, Greenland

Find Your Pefect Stone

From 41 countries and 238 varieties, use our advanced filtering to find your perfect stone.