Stichtite

What is Stichtite?

Stichtite is a carbonate mineral from the hydrotalcite group, built mainly from magnesium and chromium. She forms when chromite in serpentinite is altered by water moving through the rock, in ancient ocean crust that later came to rest at the earth's surface. The chromium in the crystal structure gives the stone her pink to deep purple color, which is fairly rare among minerals. Loose crystals are the exception; you almost always find Stichtite as patches, veins and fibrous spots within green Serpentine. At 1.5 to 2 on the Mohs scale she is softer than a fingernail, which means a nail will scratch her.

Meaning and History of Stichtite

The name does not come from an ancient tradition but from a mining history just over a century old. Tasmanian mineralogist William Frederick Petterd described the stone in 1910 and named her after Robert Carl Sticht, the American born metallurgist who ran the Mount Lyell mine in Queenstown and supported Petterd's work. The chemical analysis was carried out at that same mine by A. S. Wesley. Petterd died before he could finish his description, after which government geologist William Twelvetrees completed the research in 1914. Stichtite Hill in the Dundas mineral field has been the type locality ever since. The trade name Atlantisite for the combination with Serpentine is far younger and refers to the mythical Atlantis. Today Stichtite stands above all for reconciliation and for the ability to truly leave something behind.

Physical Properties Stichtite

On a physical and energetic level, Stichtite is associated with relaxation and with releasing tension you hold without noticing. People who tense up under pressure in the shoulders, neck or jaw often feel invited by this stone to soften. Her effect is described as slow and mild, with no sharp or restless edge, which suits the moments when you want to come to rest.

Because Stichtite occurs together with Serpentine in nature, she also carries something grounding within her. She is used to make the transition between head and body gentler, so you do not stay stuck in your thoughts but feel again what is happening in your body. Many people therefore keep her within reach during a quiet moment, a breathing exercise or the last half hour of the day. The experience mentioned most often is not a surge of energy, but a body that slowly settles a little lower.

Please note: gemstones can offer support on an emotional and energetic level, but are never a substitute for medical or professional care. If you have any complaints or concerns, always consult your physician.

Stichtite and Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the theme Stichtite is most strongly linked with in the crystal world, and above all forgiveness toward yourself. If you want to use her for this on purpose, hold a rough piece or a tumbled stone in your hand while you return in thought to the situation that still stings. Name out loud or in silence what you blame yourself for, then put the stone down as though you are setting something aside. Many people repeat this over several evenings, because forgiveness rarely happens all at once. A pendant works well if you want the theme to travel gently with you all day, worn close to the heart. Place a larger piece on your nightstand or in the corner of the room where you sit and think. Because of her softness, avoid a ring or a bracelet, since the stone scratches easily.

Spiritual Properties

The spiritual strength of Stichtite is about letting go. Where many stones build up, activate or shield, Stichtite mainly does the opposite: she takes the charge out of something you have held on to for too long. She is associated with dissolving guilt, resentment and old pain, not in one dramatic movement but quietly, layer by layer. That is exactly why she suits people who have known for a long time that they need to release something but do not know how.

Stichtite is also seen as a stone that brings the heart and the mind into conversation. She connects the feeling of love with a sense of something larger, as if showing that care and insight belong together. People who are strict with themselves, set high standards and replay their mistakes often experience a kinder view of their own shortcomings with this stone. That mildness almost always radiates outward too: whoever allows themselves some room tends to judge others more gently as well.

A third line that keeps returning is that of Kundalini energy. Because Stichtite grows intergrown with Serpentine, the combination is used to help that flow start calmly rather than force it. This is a stone for gradual steps, for people who prefer to move one stage at a time instead of breaking everything open at once.

How to Use Stichtite?

• Wear her as jewelry, for example as a pendant from the Stichtite collection, so the stone stays close to the heart. Take the pendant off before exercising or showering, because Stichtite is fragile.
• Place a rough piece in the room where you unwind, on a bookshelf or a nightstand. Choose a spot where the stone will not keep sliding against other objects.
• Hold her loosely in your hand during meditation, or rest her on your chest while lying on your back. Breathe calmly and let your attention drop toward the area around the heart.
• Use her as a fixed object in a daily closing ritual: pick the stone up, let the day pass by, and put her down when you are done. That small gesture helps you leave the worrying out of bed.

Types and Varieties of Stichtite

• Atlantisite is the trade name for the natural combination of purple Stichtite and green Serpentine from Tasmania. This is by far the form in which you will encounter Stichtite most often.
• Stichtite 2H is the hexagonal variety of the same mineral, formerly known as a separate species under the name Barbertonite, which refers to Barberton in South Africa.
• Bouazzerite is a mining term for iron rich Stichtite. Note that the same name is also used for an entirely different, green mineral.
• Woodallite is a closely related mineral that strongly resembles Stichtite in color and habit, but contains chlorine instead of carbonate.

Beautiful Gemstone Combinations

Serpentine

Serpentine is the natural partner of Stichtite, because in the rock they literally grow through one another. Serpentine brings a grounding, protective layer beneath the soft forgiving power of Stichtite. Together they form a calm combination in which letting go and standing firm do not get in each other's way.

Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz opens the heart and invites self love, exactly the direction Stichtite moves you in. Where Stichtite clears away the excess of guilt and resentment, Rose Quartz fills the freed up space with warmth. The two together are a gentle choice for anyone who wants to look at themselves more kindly after a difficult period.

Lepidolite

Lepidolite is, like Stichtite, a lilac stone with a calming nature, but with its own accent: it is used during transitions and for a mind that will not stop turning. While Stichtite softens the feeling, Lepidolite helps settle the thoughts. In combination they support each other well on evenings when rest simply will not come.

Recognizing Genuine Stichtite

Stichtite is rarely imitated, but confusion is all the more common. In the trade, Sugilite, Charoite, Purpurite and Lepidolite are regularly mixed up with one another, simply because they are all purple. Hardness is the clearest distinction: Sugilite and Charoite sit around 5 to 6, Lepidolite around 2.5 to 3, while Stichtite at 1.5 to 2 is so soft that a fingernail already leaves a mark. The luster helps too: Stichtite polishes to a waxy, muted finish rather than a glassy one.

Look at the pattern as well. Genuine Stichtite sits as irregular patches, knots and veins in a green to yellowish green Serpentine base, often with black grains of chromite in between. An evenly purple stone with uniform color throughout and no green host is suspect. Dyed Serpentine is also regularly offered as a purple stone; dye then collects in cracks and fissures and can rub off when wiped with a little alcohol. Finally there is the origin: the vast majority of the material in the trade comes from Tasmania, so an offer with a vague or constantly shifting origin is reason to be critical.

Properties

• Hardness: 1.5 to 2 (Mohs scale)
• Density: 2.11 to 2.16 g/cm³
• Composition: Mg6Cr2(CO3)(OH)16·4H2O
• Crystal structure: Trigonal
• Color: Pink, lilac to deep purple

Locations

• Australia (Tasmania)
• South Africa
• Zimbabwe
• Canada
• Morocco
• Russia
• India
• Brazil

Zodiac Signs

Virgo

Virgo is the sign most often linked to Stichtite in the literature. This sign sets the bar high and is strict in judging its own mistakes. The softening effect of Stichtite offers balance there and invites Virgo to treat themselves as reasonably as they treat others.

Pisces

Pisces is known for sensitivity and a great capacity for empathy, which fits seamlessly with the compassionate side of Stichtite. This sign quickly takes on the emotions of others and fills up easily as a result. Stichtite helps to set that borrowed weight down again and to stay close to oneself.

Cancer

Cancer lives strongly from feeling and carries memories for a long time. The forgiving power of Stichtite connects exactly there, helping to process old pain without erasing the past. That creates room for security in the present.

Chakras

Crown Chakra

The Crown Chakra is most strongly connected to Stichtite, because of her purple color and her quiet, inward turned effect. This energy center is about connection with something greater than yourself and about inner peace. Stichtite is used to open the Crown Chakra gently, without the intensity some other stones bring to it.

Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra suits Stichtite through her association with love, compassion and forgiveness. If this center feels shut down after disappointment or sorrow, Stichtite can help make it a little more spacious again. What many people notice most is a sense of self acceptance.

Third Eye Chakra

The Third Eye Chakra is associated with insight and intuition and connects with the clear side of Stichtite. The stone is used to look at a situation with more mildness instead of immediately attaching a verdict to it. That creates understanding without harshness.

Care

With a hardness of 1.5 to 2, Stichtite is one of the most fragile stones in the range, so caution here is far from excessive. Do not cleanse her with water. This is a carbonate that carries water within its crystal structure, and prolonged moisture can leave the surface dull and powdery. A soft, dry cloth is enough; wipe lightly and without pressure, because even a firm stroke can leave a scratch. Do not use this stone to make gem water either.

For energetic cleansing, smoke is a lovely moisture free method. Let the smoke of Sage or Palo Santo drift calmly around the stone. To cleanse her energetically, place Stichtite on a bed of Hematite Chips. Charging is done in soft moonlight or on a bed of Rock Crystal Chips.

Keep her out of bright sunlight. Short, soft daylight is no problem, but hours in full sun can make the lilac to purple color fade over time. Store Stichtite separately in a soft pouch or box, well away from harder stones such as Rock Crystal, Agate or Jasper, which will scratch her at the slightest contact.

More information about the cleansing and charging of gemstones can be found in our blog "The cleansing and charging of gemstones".

Frequently Asked Questions about Stichtite

What does Stichtite mean?

Stichtite stands for forgiveness, compassion and the release of old hurt. She is used above all by people who are strict with themselves and want to become gentler. The name refers to Robert Carl Sticht, the mine manager on whose site the stone was analyzed.

Can Stichtite get wet?

No, do not cleanse Stichtite with water. At 1.5 to 2 on the Mohs scale she is very soft, and as a carbonate carrying water in her structure the surface can turn dull and powdery. Use a soft, dry cloth instead, or the smoke of Sage or Palo Santo.

Can Stichtite be placed in sunlight?

Short, soft daylight does no harm, but do not leave Stichtite in bright sun for hours. The lilac to purple color can fade over time as a result. Charging is therefore better done in moonlight or on a bed of Rock Crystal Chips.

Which Chakra is associated with Stichtite?

Stichtite is most strongly connected to the Crown Chakra, because of her purple color and her quieting effect. She is also widely used with the Heart Chakra and the Third Eye Chakra. Those three together explain why she is applied to both feeling and insight.

Where is the best place to put Stichtite?

Place Stichtite on your nightstand or in the corner of the room where you unwind, so she is present at the moments you think or relax. During meditation you can hold her in your hand or rest her on your chest. Always choose a spot where she will not slide against harder objects.

Summary

Stichtite is a rare magnesium chromium carbonate that you almost always find as pink to deep purple veins within green Serpentine, a combination known as Atlantisite. She was described in Tasmania in 1910 and named after Robert Carl Sticht. With a hardness of 1.5 to 2 she is exceptionally soft, and that softness returns in her effect: forgiveness, compassion and the calm release of old hurt. She is connected to the Crown Chakra, the Heart Chakra and the Third Eye Chakra, and suits Virgo, Pisces and Cancer. Care for her dry, stored separately and out of bright sun, and her color will stay beautiful for years.

If you have any questions about Stichtite, please do not hesitate to contact Kristalmeester. We are happy to help.