Is Larimar A Crystal? - Larimar Stone vs Other Crystals
You might think Larimar is a crystal because of its beautiful color. But diamonds are beautiful and they're not crystals. Neither is Larimar. But why is it a mineral and not a crystal?
Is Larimar a crystal or mineral?
Being able to tell the difference between a crystal and a mineral can be hard.
It was pretty confusing for us too until we did the research...
But it's actually simple!
The way a crystal and mineral are defined is clear:
A normal crystal will have atomic structure that incorporates more than one natural material.
A mineral however IS a material by itself - with one single compound. Not a bunch of things mixed together.
Since you now know how to classify the two stones, do you think Larimar is a crystal?
Larimar is a mineral and not a crystal because it's composed of a single material - "NaCu2Si3O8(OH)"
However! People still call it a crystal because it sounds prettier than mineral.
Is Larimar a Quartz?
For those of you who have seen our article answering is Rose Quartz a crystal, then you'll know the answer to this question!
Larimar doesn't belong to the Quartz family, Larimar is a type of Pectolite. If someone is trying to pass Larimar off as a piece of Quartz, then you're gonna want to find a different seller.
There are only two reasons why someone would say that Larimar is a type of Quartz.
- They accidentally mixed up Larimar's more scientific name Blue Pectolite with Blue Quartz.
- They are trying to sell you a fake Larimar stone.
Is Larimar a real gemstone?
While we cover this more in our article on Dolphin Stones, there is one easy way to tell if you have real Larimar or fake Pectolite.
Now we've got some good news and bad news.
The bad news is that this crystal is a common target to be faked.
The good news is that faking tumbled Larimar is not easy.
First, you'll want to look up some pictures of Larimar to make sure the mineral in question at least looks the same.
Then, we check if another stone has been used as a substitue.
Resin is the material people use to fake Larimar, so we'll perform tests to check against that.
There two easy ways test if you have real Larimar:
1. Using your finger to check for a crystal:
- A real crystal will always be cool to the touch.
Check for cracks in the resin:
- The cracks will show ink that's pooled up and have an unnaturally dark color.
Both tests expose Resin while confirming you have real crystal, well mineral , in your hands.
What is the crystal Larimar good for?
Larimar has relatively young history as far as minerals go.
As of now, there aren't in technological uses for this Pectolite stone.
There is some scientific merit to using Larimar in construction but due to the rarity of the stone... that's not gonna happen.
For most people, the meta-physical uses of Larimar are much more interesting - so let's get into those!
How To Use Larimar
The simplest way to get the benefits of this stone is by keeping it close by.
Some people like to put Larimar under their pillow while they sleep.
Don't keep it TOO close though...
Larimar is not safe to put in water.
That's why prefer to wear jewelry to feed of the stone's energy.
Where you put this gemstone does actually make a difference.
Wearing Larimar
Figuring out where to wear Larimar on the body is easy! Just gotta know which Chakra center this gem resonates with the most.
We cover this more in our in-depth Larimar guide, but for now just know that it favors the Throat Chakra.
The blue color of the gemstone is no coincidence!
(Check out our Larimar guide for more in-depth metaphysical insight)
What Is The Difference Between Larimar and Crystal?
The difference between natural Larimar and crystal is the same as the difference between minerals and crystal.
Crystals are a solid composed of a bunch of materials that are different from eachother, while Larimar only has one single "ingrediant".
Larimar is about as close to a "crystal" as you can get for a mineral. It's single component is hodge-podge of elements.
But because all the elements come together in one substance, Larimar and crystal remain in two different categories.
Larimar Interesting Facts
Larimar Texture
The granoblastic texture of raw Larimar stone is very similar to what gravel feels like.
Yes, this is a rare stone and it's beautifull too...
But minerals usually have pretty similar textures. So don't let this take away for this one's beauty.
Besides, after the gemstone gets tumbled and polished it becomes smooth and shiny!
Give us the healing properties / chakra / jewelry / cost per size / full report on this crystal!
Oh wow oh wow! We're happy that you're so interested in Larimar, we welcome you to check out our crystal facts page for more info.
