Lightning Strikes and Lemurian Aquatine Calcite: Do they really defy science?

Today, I am attempting to decode another sensitive subject.  It’s no surprise that the scientific mineralogy community and the crystal healing crowd don’t exactly see eye to eye.  It is a challenge for geologists to accept the idea that an esoteric group has made discoveries about crystals and minerals that transcend traditional science. I believe that it is possible to unite beautiful crystal lore with the scientific facts of how crystals are formed beneath the Earth’s surface.

It is important for those who love both the myths and the minerals to discern between the written body of mysticism, and what is marketing used to capitalize on the buying public’s excitement over the mystical elements of crystals.  Most retailers, however, have good intentions and aren’t intentionally capitalizing on their customers’ enthusiasm for crystal lore.

Lemurian Aquatine Calcite arrived on the scene several years ago with an array of magical properties, such as facilitating spiritual ascension, connecting the owner with the ancient Lemuria, and aiding in the development of clairvoyance and other psychic abilities.  That is a lot of responsibility for a rock! No metaphysical shop I have found appears to document anything about the mineral’s origins or mineralogical profile.  Why is this? Why don’t retailers share more information about the stone?

This question led me to search for what the mineral was before it was “branded” and marketed by the metaphysical community.  Lemurian Aquatine Calcite was trademarked in 2009 by metaphysical stones bigwig Robert Simmons, of Heaven and Earth LLC. He and his partner Kathy have been writing books on the topic since the late Eighties.  They also host a major workshop (and retail opportunity) on the alchemy of stones that spans several days.

Robert Simmons has trademarked numerous stones that already have perfectly acceptable names such as Healerite (a light colored Serpentine), Sauralite Azeztulite (Quartz from New Zealand said to have information from the Azez alien race), and Cinnazez (another name for Cinnabar).  His list of trademarked stones is vast.  Each stone has a story that he relates to popular mystic legends.  In his description of Lemurian Aquatine Calcite, he states, “Lemurian Seeds seem to recall Lemuria’s past knowledge, Lemurian Aquatine Calcite recalls the lost spiritual capacities and abilities of the Lemurians themselves.”  This is from an article in the 2009 Metaphysical Buyers Guide for the Denver Gem and Mineral Show.  Simmons references Rosicrucian lore as his source for knowing Lemurian knowledge has been stored within crystals. He cites nothing for linking this to Lemurian Aquatine Calcite.

Here are the facts on this mineral before it was trademarked and associated with Lemuria.  It has a few other names: Blue Argentinian Calcite, Argentinian Blue Onyx, and Argentinian Aquamarine Onyx.  Is that confusing or what?  Calcite, Onyx, Aquamarine -- what is this stone? It is calcite.  Before coming to this conclusion with full confidence we sent it off for testing at a mineral lab.  The closest trade name is Argentinian Blue Calcite.  It is a beautiful stone that has an enchanting appeal, with its varying ocean-blue tones.  While its connection to Lemuria may be tenuous at best, it is without a doubt worthy of praise as a unique variety of calcite found at only one place on the planet.

The “mystical etchings” of lightning-strike crystals are also the source of a lot of hype. My research on the topic revealed scientific sources predictably downplaying any esoteric meaning to the etchings, as well as the metaphysical crowd suggested that their interpretation of the formations is backed by science. 

 In 2015, an article was published in the scientific journal American Mineralogist that stated quartz can be imprinted with a pattern as a result of a fulgurite-producing lightning strike to an area adjacent to the quartz itself.  This is in no way the same as a single quartz point acquiring a zigzag pattern from being struck by lightning, as the sellers often claim.  However, shocked quartz from a lightning strike or asteroid impact often have planar deformation lamellae, which is a pattern visible at a microscopic level.

The intriguing zig-zag pattern on “lightning strike” quartz is simply a feature of their macro-mosaic growth habit.  While the etching is rare, it is not caused by an actual lightning strike. If there were a direct impact, the quartz would melt or shatter, but it would certainly not create a neat etching.

I do not want enthusiasts to become disenchanted with these crystals as a result of the marketing hype surrounding them. I just want my friends see them for what they are: beautiful, mind-blowing creations of our planet.  Every day there are new crystals being uncovered that fuel the passion and imaginations of scientists and crystal healers alike.  This is not a hobby meant to be divided along scientific and mystic lines. There is useful information to be had on both sides of the fence.  Myths and legends have played a major role in the development of our society.  We constantly uncover new truths behind ancient mysteries.  It will shock many people in the scientific circle to find hard evidence of the existence Lemuria, but it won’t surprise me one bit.

 

 

Reto Gieré, Wolfhard Wimmenauer, Hiltrud Müller-Sigmund, Richard Wirth, Gregory R. Lumpkin, Katherine L. Smith; Lightning-induced shock lamellae in quartz. American Mineralogist ; 100 (7): 1645–1648. doi: https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2015-5218

 

PDF of article by Robert Simmons on Lemurian Aquatine Calcite http://www.metaguides.net/MBG09_Final.pdf