Home / Mining and cleaning process
From the vein to your shelf.
How every Crystalhood lot is mined, cleaned, graded and packed in the Kullu valley.
i.
Mining by hand
Our crews climb to the veins above Manikaran and open them with hand tools. It is slow work, but it keeps terminations intact and the mountainside undamaged.
ii.
Cleaning in Kullu
Crystals are carried down to our workshop, soaked and washed to remove clay and iron staining. We never use acid baths that dull the surface, dyes or coatings.
iii.
Grading and lot building
Each piece is graded for clarity, terminations and damage, then weighed into lots by type and size. Every lot is photographed exactly as it will ship.
iv.
Packing and shipping
Pieces are wrapped individually, boxed, and sent by UPS Express with a signed letter of authenticity naming the lot, origin and weight.