"Shilajit in Perspective" is a 200 page book produced by Shibnath Ghosal and appears to be based largely on his own, and co-workers, research at the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi , India
The book bears only one picture of raw shilajit (Photograph 1 on page 2) which shows a dark brown waxy substance ( presumably the Shilajit) on the surface of a rock fragment. No scale is indicated to provide an indication of size/volume. The rock is a granular /crystalline pale creamy khaki colour (likely sialic minerals) with less common, dark, possibly platy, masses ( likely to be mafic minerals) . The rock exhibits a clear platy foliation and is more characteristic of a metamorphic or igneous rock rather than a sedimentary rock. It is suggested that to support the contention that shilajit is derived from sedimentary rocks much more petrology needs to be studied and reported.
The book refers the presence of Shilajit inPakistan and Peshawar Peshawar University Peshawar Pakistan
Ansari Q.D. and Badrud-Din, 1956, Physico-chemical study of salajit, a mineral pitch ofPakistan , The Journal of the University of Peshawar
Faruqi, S.H., 1997, Nature and Origin of Salajit, Hamdard medicus, Vol XL, April-June , pp 21-30
Khan, Sultan Muhammed, 1981, Shilajit its composition and biological actions, MSc Chemistry Thesis, University of Peshawar, Area Study Centre (Central Asia) 102 p
Shafiq, M.I., 2003, Physical, biochemical and trace mineral analysis of some Salajit samples available inPakistan , MSc thesis, University of Punjab , Lahore
Zahler, P, and Karim A., 1998, Origin of the floristic components of Salajit, Hamdard Medicus, Vol XLI, no 2, pp 6-8
Ghosal does not refer to these equally important studies. Unfortunately and like Ghosal in his book, none of these authors attempt to describe the habitat or natural setting of Shilajit. Ghosal states, without support, that Shilajit occurs in sedimentary rocks without providing examples supported by the identity of locales, with geographic coordinates, elevations data, and detailed descriptions of the geological setting. Zahler and Karim (1998) suggest Salajit is the faeces of the Wooly Flying Squirrel and ascribe its physio-chemical properties to the dietary habit of the animal. Faruqi (1997) describes salajit samples studied in thin section under a binocular microscope and describes "pallets" which is a mis-use of the word pellets - animal faecal pellets; the size (1-2mm) and geometry (round not oblate) of which is consistent with the Wooly Flying Squirrel fecal pellets. Unfortunately Faruqi (a professional minerals geologist) did not examine his samples at outcrop but instead bought his samples from street vendors along the Karakoram Highway who also gave him reasonably accurate verbal descriptions of their origin ( eg southwest side Raikot Valley 6 km east of Tato village) . Faruqi presents a map of the general locale for each of his 26 samples and an overlay on the regional geological map shows the salajit sites are located predominantly on igneous and metamorphic terranes and certainly not exclusively sedimentary rocks.
Dr George Carman has visited twelve (12) sites in Pakistan where salajit of varying grades is or has been collected. The hunter/gathers describe collections of up to several hundred kilograms and occasionally over a tonne which is believed to be augmented by rock dust since the sales are by weight. These sites are not restricted to sedimentary rocks as suggested by Ghosal.
It is suggested that considerable more documentation is required to confirm the geological setting of shilajit and significantly more research is required to demonstrate it is not an animal fecal product. A starting point for such studies will be to compile an accurate description of locations ( UTM or Latitude/Longitude) and their geological setting.
The Geological map of NWF Pakistan illustrate Faruqi's Salajit sites occur on a variety of geological terranes and certainly not exclusively associated with sedimentary rocks.
The book bears only one picture of raw shilajit (Photograph 1 on page 2) which shows a dark brown waxy substance ( presumably the Shilajit) on the surface of a rock fragment. No scale is indicated to provide an indication of size/volume. The rock is a granular /crystalline pale creamy khaki colour (likely sialic minerals) with less common, dark, possibly platy, masses ( likely to be mafic minerals) . The rock exhibits a clear platy foliation and is more characteristic of a metamorphic or igneous rock rather than a sedimentary rock. It is suggested that to support the contention that shilajit is derived from sedimentary rocks much more petrology needs to be studied and reported.
The book refers the presence of Shilajit in
Ansari Q.D. and Badrud-Din, 1956, Physico-chemical study of salajit, a mineral pitch of
Faruqi, S.H., 1997, Nature and Origin of Salajit, Hamdard medicus, Vol XL, April-June , pp 21-30
Khan, Sultan Muhammed, 1981, Shilajit its composition and biological actions, MSc Chemistry Thesis, University of Peshawar, Area Study Centre (Central Asia) 102 p
Shafiq, M.I., 2003, Physical, biochemical and trace mineral analysis of some Salajit samples available in
Zahler, P, and Karim A., 1998, Origin of the floristic components of Salajit, Hamdard Medicus, Vol XLI, no 2, pp 6-8
Ghosal does not refer to these equally important studies. Unfortunately and like Ghosal in his book, none of these authors attempt to describe the habitat or natural setting of Shilajit. Ghosal states, without support, that Shilajit occurs in sedimentary rocks without providing examples supported by the identity of locales, with geographic coordinates, elevations data, and detailed descriptions of the geological setting. Zahler and Karim (1998) suggest Salajit is the faeces of the Wooly Flying Squirrel and ascribe its physio-chemical properties to the dietary habit of the animal. Faruqi (1997) describes salajit samples studied in thin section under a binocular microscope and describes "pallets" which is a mis-use of the word pellets - animal faecal pellets; the size (1-2mm) and geometry (round not oblate) of which is consistent with the Wooly Flying Squirrel fecal pellets. Unfortunately Faruqi (a professional minerals geologist) did not examine his samples at outcrop but instead bought his samples from street vendors along the Karakoram Highway who also gave him reasonably accurate verbal descriptions of their origin ( eg southwest side Raikot Valley 6 km east of Tato village) . Faruqi presents a map of the general locale for each of his 26 samples and an overlay on the regional geological map shows the salajit sites are located predominantly on igneous and metamorphic terranes and certainly not exclusively sedimentary rocks.
Dr George Carman has visited twelve (12) sites in Pakistan where salajit of varying grades is or has been collected. The hunter/gathers describe collections of up to several hundred kilograms and occasionally over a tonne which is believed to be augmented by rock dust since the sales are by weight. These sites are not restricted to sedimentary rocks as suggested by Ghosal.
It is suggested that considerable more documentation is required to confirm the geological setting of shilajit and significantly more research is required to demonstrate it is not an animal fecal product. A starting point for such studies will be to compile an accurate description of locations ( UTM or Latitude/Longitude) and their geological setting.
The Geological map of NWF Pakistan illustrate Faruqi's Salajit sites occur on a variety of geological terranes and certainly not exclusively associated with sedimentary rocks.
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