Do not put crystals directly in drinking water unless you are certain the stone is hard, non-porous and free of harmful metals. Many minerals release copper, lead or other substances. The safer way is the indirect method, where the stone never touches the water.
Stones that must never go in drinking water
| Stone | Why |
|---|---|
| Malachite, azurite, chrysocolla | Copper minerals |
| Cinnabar | Contains mercury |
| Galena | Contains lead |
| Realgar, orpiment | Contain arsenic |
| Stibnite | Contains antimony |
| Pyrite, marcasite | Iron sulfides that react with water |
| Selenite, halite | Dissolve |
| Lapis lazuli | Porous and often contains pyrite |
| Fluorite, calcite, celestite | Soft, shed material |
| Raw tiger’s eye and other fibrous stones | May shed fibers |
| Any dyed, coated or glued stone | Dyes and resins can leach |
This list is not complete. If you cannot confirm what a stone is made of, treat it as unsafe.
The indirect method
- Fill a glass or jug with drinking water.
- Place the crystal next to the container, or in a sealed glass vial that hangs inside it.
- Leave it for as long as you like, then drink the water as usual.
Bottles with a sealed crystal chamber work the same way: the stone and the water never meet.
If you still want direct contact
People who make crystal water this way normally use only hard, undyed quartz, such as clear quartz, rose quartz or amethyst, in tumbled form. Wash the stone first, use it for a few hours only and clean the container, because cracks in a stone can hold bacteria.
There is no scientific evidence that crystal water has health effects. Drinking water with unknown minerals can be harmful. When in doubt, use the indirect method.
Is a crystal water bottle safe?
Bottles where the stone sits in a separate sealed chamber keep the stone out of the water. Check that the chamber is really sealed.
Where can I check what a mineral contains?
A mineral field guide or a mineral database lists the chemical formula. Copper is Cu, lead is Pb, mercury is Hg and arsenic is As. See also Crystals that cannot go in water.