Neptunite is a real mineral, rare and black, and mostly a collector's stone. It is found with benitoite in California, and we do not carry it. Thin edges glow red-brown in light.
Silicate (phyllosilicate, monoclinic)
Neptunite
Neptunita
- Palette
- Black Brown
- Mined in
- United States, Greenland, Canada, Russia
- Hardness
- Mohs 5.0–6.0 ?
- See-through
- opaque
- Known since
- 1893
- Named for
- Neptune, Roman sea god, via its link to aegirine
- Intention
- Protection
- Looking for
- Protection Grounding
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Nothing is reported being done to neptunite; it is a collector stone usually sold as found.
Not in our pieces now
1893
Neptunite was first described in 1893 from the Narssarssuk pegmatite in West Greenland.
11.78 CARATS
A faceted 11.78-carat stone was confirmed as neptunite by Raman spectroscopy.
1985
Neptunite grows with benitoite in San Benito County, California, whose state gem became benitoite in 1985.
What it is
A real mineral that forms shiny black crystals, though thin edges glow deep red-brown against light. It is a collector's stone, found with benitoite in California. It is rarely made into beads, and black stones sold as neptunite beads should be checked.
Where it comes from
Neptunite was first found in Greenland, and the best-known crystals come from the Benitoite mine in San Benito County, California. It also occurs at Mont Saint-Hilaire in Quebec and on Russia's Kola Peninsula.
What's said about it
It is named for Neptune, the Roman sea god, and was first described in Greenland. Crystal lore around it is thin, though black stones in general are traditionally kept for protection.
It is brittle, so collectors keep it in a padded box or wear it as a pendant.
How people wear or keep it: In a padded box, as a pendant, or on a shelf.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, neptunite is paired with the root and sacral chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: in a padded box, as a pendant, on a shelf. People reach for it when they want protection, grounding, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraRoot, Sacral
ZodiacPisces
Care
- It is brittle, so keep it as a collector piece and away from knocks.
- Wipe with a soft dry or damp cloth; skip ultrasonic cleaners.
- Store separately in a padded box so harder stones do not scratch it.
- Wear it in earrings or a pendant rather than a ring or bracelet.
How to tell what you have
- Neptunite looks black but is very dark red, and thin chips glow deep red against light.
- It is hardness 5 to 6 with one perfect split direction, and the best crystals come from San Benito County, California.
- Faceted stones are tiny, usually under a carat; large black pieces are more likely another black mineral.
Questions people ask at our table
What is neptunite?
A rare black mineral that contains potassium, sodium, lithium, iron and titanium. It forms hard, glassy crystals, and thin edges look red-brown.
Where does it come from?
Greenland, where it was first described, plus San Benito County in California, Quebec in Canada and the Kola Peninsula in Russia.
Why is it linked to benitoite?
In California the two grow together, with natrolite. Benitoite is California's state gem, and neptunite is a common companion mineral.
Is it in bead form?
Rarely. It is a collector mineral, so black beads sold under this name deserve a second look.
Do you carry it?
No. Our black onyx and black tourmaline-type stones are the nearest look.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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