Aegirine Gemstone: Meaning, Value, Healing Uses & Properties

Aegirine (also known as acmite) is a silicate mineral born from alkali-rich volcanic rock. 

To the naked eye, aegirine looks like a black gemstone. In fact, it’s often confused with black tourmaline. 

Upon closer inspection, though, you’ll find that aegirine is actually a dark, smoky green. 

This shadowy gem isn’t just visually striking, though. Its powerful energies can help you cultivate a deeper connection to your true self. Now that’s soul food! 

Intrigued to know more about what aegirine is good for? Come along as we break down all the aegirine uses, history, meanings, value, and more! 

About Aegirine Stone

Aegirine is a semi-precious gemstone said to epitomize authenticity within every aspect of life. 

The gem’s pronunciation varies across different languages and dialects. However, we’re happy to report that any of these forms will do:

• ‘Ay-jeh-reen’

• ‘Ee-guh-reen’

• ‘Ay-guh-reen’

• ‘Ee-jeh-reen’

• ‘Eye-gee-reen’

Aegirine isn’t a birthstone, but it is a zodiac stone for Taurus in astrology. Tauruses are kind and dependable, but they can also be bull-headed and stubborn. Aegirine calms the Taurus mind and opens them up to change. 

This gem is also associated with the number five in numerology. 

Earlier, we mentioned that aegirine is easily confused with black tourmaline because of its smoky, black-like color. However, these crystals are quite different! 

In terms of aegirine vs black tourmaline, each stone has entirely unique properties. For one, black tourmaline has a Mohs hardness of about 7, whereas aegirine’s is about 5.5. They also differ chemically and metaphysically. 

Other minerals aegirine is often confused with are black kyanite, augite, and arfvedsonite.  

So how do you identify aegirine? Let’s take a look at aegirine’s crystal properties!

Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Aegirine Specifications & Characteristics

Aegirine is a sodium iron silicate mineral with the chemical formula NaFe3+(Si2O6). It’s a member of the pyroxene group and forms a series with the mineral augite. 

The mineral usually forms as long, thin, prismatic (or bladed) crystals. The crystals are striated lengthwise, usually with a clinopinacoidal (pointed) end. 

Aegirine also commonly occurs in fibrous masses, acicular (needle-shaped) sprays, grainy clusters, and doubly-terminated (pointed at both ends) crystals. 

Aegirine isn’t fluorescent but often forms with other fluorescent minerals. Some minerals you might see aegirine occur alongside include:

• Albite

• Arfvedsonite

• Augite

• Biotite

• Eudialyte

• Microcline

• Nepheline

• Quartz

• Riebeckite

• Sodalite
  

Here’s an overview of aegirine’s mineral data:

• Mineral Family: Silicates

• Mohs hardness: 5 to 6

• Color: Green, greenish-black, reddish-brown, black

• Crystal structure: Monoclinic

• Luster: Vitreous to slightly resinous

• Transparency: Translucent to opaque

• Refractive index:  1.7 to 1.8; Biaxial (-)

• Birefringence: 0.037 to 0.061

• Density: 3.5 to 3.6

• Cleavage: Distinct/Good on {110}

• Fracture: Irregular/Uneven

• Streak: Yellowish-gray

• Dispersion: Moderate to strong

• Pleochroism: Present, often strong; Usually brown to green; Can show shifts in yellow, brownish-green, yellowish-brown, or black

That said, how many variations of this gem might you come across? 

Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Types of Aegirine

There are three varieties of aegirine:

• Fedorovite — a rich green aegirine variety from Italy

• Titanian Aegirine — a variety containing up to 10 percent titanium dioxide, commonly found in Russia

• Vanadian Aegirine — a variety from Montana (USA) containing up to 4 percent vanadium oxide

Now let’s take a peek into aegirine’s past! 

Aegirine History

Norwegian mineralogist (and priest) Hans Morten Thrane Esmark discovered aegirine in 1834. He found the mineral on the small island of Låven, Langesund Fjord (also known as the Breviksfjord) in Norway. 

Esmark named aegirine after the Norse sea god, Ægir (Aegir), believed to personify the power of the ocean. Sailors both worshiped and feared Ægir. They believed he would sometimes appear on the ocean’s surface to take ships, crew, and cargo alike, dragging them down to his hall at the bottom of the sea.

A synonym for the mineral is “acmite” (or “achmite”) from Greek ἀκμή (pronounced akmē) for “point, edge” in honor of aegirine’s typically pointed crystals. 

Jacob Berzelius, a Swedish chemist, used the name “achmite” first in 1821. However, it wouldn’t be until 1871 when Gustav Tschermak (an Austrian mineralogist) did a revealing analysis that these scientists realized what they called “achmite” and “aegirine” were the same mineral. 

Today, the gem is primarily used in crystal healing and aegirine jewelry. 

Speaking of crystal healing, let’s dive into aegirine metaphysical properties!

Pictured above: Charoite cabochon with aegirine and tanaksite inclusions

Aegirine Healing Properties

Like most crystals, aegirine’s color, composition, and energies make it a powerful healing stone. 

Because of its color, aegirine shares many of the same associations tied to black or green gemstones. For instance, grounding and protection (black gem qualities) along with knowledge, prosperity, and connection to nature (green gem qualities).

These healing properties manifest within your physical, emotional, and spiritual body. 

Physical Healing

Physically, aegirine benefits those suffering from substance addiction or recovery. It’s said that aegirine helps wearers eliminate toxins. It also purportedly boosts the immune system, nervous system, and metabolism.

Aegirine is also thought to be a powerful Reiki stone whose energy transfers best by the power of touch. Reiki refers to an ancient Japanese energy healing technique.

Emotional Healing

Emotionally, what is aegirine good for?

As a protection and purification stone, aegirine can support the release of negative attachments and create an auric shield. It can make you more self-aware of toxic behaviors and strengthen you to move past them.

When meditating with aegirine, it may help to repeat the following affirmation: “I clear my energies of disharmony and negative influences, and I move bravely into my authentic self.”

Chakra Healing

Some crystals can be used as chakra stones to balance the seven energy points along the body. What chakra is aegirine associated with? 

Aegirine cleanses and aligns all chakras. However, like most black crystals, its grounding vibrations are especially attuned to the root (or base) chakra.

This is the first chakra and represents the root of all spiritual and physical energy within your body. When it’s unbalanced, you feel profoundly insecure, anxious, or paranoid. This imbalance manifests as poor self-esteem, depression, or panic attacks. 

Crystal healers use aegirine because its vibrations resonate with this energy point, increasing your confidence, leadership, and sense of individuality. 

Feng Shui

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese practice of intentionally arranging a space to balance energy. In Feng Shui, the aegirine spiritual meaning ties to water energy. 

Normally, the water element works best in the North area of a home — this is the area of Career and Life Path. However, aegirine can enhance stillness, calmness, and clarity in any area you keep the crystal. 

Moving on, how is aegirine graded?

Pictured above: Charoite rough with black aegirine inclusions

Aegirine Gemstone Properties

When it comes to most gems, the standard criteria for grading consist of color, cut, clarity, and weight (in grams). Overall, when it comes to aegirine, the purer and more translucent the color, the better.

Color

Aegirine most commonly occurs in brownish to blackish green but can also appear in black, yellowish-brown, pale green, or yellow-green. 

Usually, the greener the crystal, the rarer it is (and higher the value). 

Cut

Most aegirine for sale is uncut (also called rough or raw). It can also be cut and polished into small pendants and cabochons (rarely) for necklaces and other jewelry. 

Even though aegirine has a hardness of about 6, you rarely find it faceted. This is probably because of its seemingly black color. 

Clarity

Aegirine often occurs as an inclusion in other gems, affecting their clarity. However, many crystals are found embedded in aegirine. For instance, these multi-crystal formations can occur as aegirine-quartz, aegirine-feldspar, or aegirine-charoite, to name a few. 

These occurrences vary depending on locality and add to the stone’s unique appearance. 

Stones with higher translucence that more clearly show aegirine’s spiny crystal sprays tend to fetch higher prices.

Weight

Rather than carats, the majority of aegirine is sold by grams. Most specimens fit in the palm of your hand. Larger ones are much rarer and more valuable.

So how is aegirine formed anyway?

Pictured above: Smoky quartz crystal cluster formed on aegirine and orthoclase

Aegirine Formation & Sources

Aegirine tends to occur in alkali igneous rocks — particularly syenites and syenite pegmatites. It also occurs in schists, gneisses, blueschists, and iron formations. Sometimes, aegirine occurs in sedimentary rock as well.

The gem can also form through sodium metasomatism (chemical alteration from invading fluids) in granulites.

On that note, where is aegirine found today? 

Mining Locations

There are a few well-known aegirine localities around the world. The stone mainly hails from Norway (at Øvre Eiker and Kongsberg in Buskerud) and Langesund Fjord (in Telemark and Vestfold). 

Other notable localities include:

• Brazil

• Canada

• Greenland

• Russia

• South Africa

• United States

Ready to splurge on your very own aegirine pendant? Let’s talk cost!

Image credit: Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

Aegirine Price & Value

You can find some aegirine jewelry on the market — mostly pendants featuring raw specimens. Necklace prices tend to teeter between $20 and $50. However, some higher-quality pieces can go for as much as $182. 

Rings aren’t as common and tend to fetch higher prices. The average cost of an aegirine ring is around $125.

Aegirine is mainly sold as crystal wands. The average price for a palm-sized wand is around $15-$20. However, some can retail for as high as $285.

Prices for rough aegirine vary the most, depending on color, purity, and size. Low- to moderate-quality specimens can range from $1.89 to $3.19 per gram. Higher-quality specimen prices can reach $30 per gram.

Finally, how do you clean aegirine crystals?

Aegirine Care and Maintenance

To clean aegirine, simply run your crystal under lukewarm water. Gently pat it dry with a soft, non-abrasive cloth.

Properly caring for gemstones is crucial to getting the most life (and beauty) out of your aegirine crystals. Aegirine is a fairly hard gem, but it’s not resistant to damage. 

Rings should always implement a protective setting. To prevent impact from harder stones or falls, store your aegirine in a safe place separate from other gems.

Go Within with Aegirine!

When it comes to getting to know your most authentic self, aegirine is the perfect vessel to introduce you to… well, you! On the other hand, its unique and dramatic appearance makes it a superb addition to any crystal collection!

As Horace Mann, known as the father of American education, once said, “The living soul of a man, once conscious of its power, cannot be quelled.”

Ready to experience the beauty and benefits of aegirine for yourself? 

Shop for aegirine and other beautiful gemstones today!