Short answer: shilajit is often said to contain 85 minerals. Lab analyses can detect dozens of elements in it, but most are present only in tiny traces, some (such as lead and mercury) are ones you want as little of as possible, and a daily serving is too small to be a meaningful source of minerals. Most of shilajit is organic matter, mainly fulvic acid and other humic substances.
What Is Shilajit Made Of?
Shilajit is a dark, sticky resin that seeps from rock in high mountain ranges, including the Himalayas. It is thought to form over long periods as plant material breaks down and is compressed within the rock.
Scientific reviews describe it as mostly organic matter, with a smaller mineral fraction. The main parts are:
- Fulvic acid, usually described as its main organic component
- Humic acid and humin, related humic substances found alongside it
- Dibenzo-alpha-pyrones (DBPs), small organic compounds that researchers have studied in shilajit
- Minerals, a mix of elements picked up from the surrounding rock and soil
The exact make-up varies with where the shilajit comes from and how it is purified, which is one reason testing matters.
Where Does the "85 Minerals" Figure Come From?
The number 85 is repeated widely online, but we haven't found a published analysis that backs up an exact count. The lists that circulate tend to include every element that can be detected, however small the amount.
That makes the number less useful than it sounds, because those lists mix together three very different groups:
- Essential nutrients, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Only around 15 elements are recognised as essential nutrients for people.
- Elements with no known role in the body, such as gold, silver, titanium and the rare earth metals.
- Elements you want to avoid, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, beryllium and uranium.
Is Shilajit a Good Source of Minerals?
Not really, and it isn't meant to be. A typical daily amount of resin is around 300 to 500 mg, which is a third to half of a gram. Minerals make up only part of that, so the total amount of minerals in a serving is a fraction of half a gram, shared across many elements.
Compare that with the amounts used as daily reference intakes on UK food labels:
| Mineral | UK daily reference intake (NRV) |
|---|---|
| Potassium | 2,000 mg |
| Calcium | 800 mg |
| Magnesium | 375 mg |
| Iron | 14 mg |
| Zinc | 10 mg |
A whole 500 mg serving of resin weighs less than the reference intake for calcium alone. If you want more of a particular mineral, food or a dedicated supplement is a far more reliable source. Research on shilajit focuses mainly on its organic compounds rather than its minerals.
Fulvic Acid and Humic Substances Explained
Humic substances form when plant and animal matter breaks down. They are found in soil, peat and rivers as well as in shilajit, and scientists usually divide them into three groups by how they dissolve in water:
- Fulvic acid dissolves at any level of acidity. Its molecules are relatively small and it is yellow to brown in colour.
- Humic acid dissolves in alkaline conditions but not in acidic ones. Its molecules are larger and darker.
- Humin does not dissolve in water at all.
Much of the research interest in shilajit centres on fulvic acid and DBPs. Most of that work has been done in the lab or in animals, with only a handful of small human trials, so it is too early to say what these compounds do in people. For a summary of the human studies, see our guide to what the research on shilajit actually shows.
Why Heavy Metals Matter
Because shilajit comes out of rock, raw material can contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. UK law sets maximum levels for lead, cadmium and mercury in food supplements.
This is why purification and independent lab testing matter far more than a mineral count. A long list of elements on a label or website tells you nothing about whether a product is safe.
How to Choose a Quality Shilajit
- Look for purified resin rather than raw rock or unlabelled powder.
- Ask to see recent lab results from an independent laboratory, including heavy metals.
- Check that the seller gives a clear source and country of origin.
- Be wary of products that promise cures or instant results.
You can see our lab reports on our Testing and Certificates page, and our guide on how to tell if shilajit is real covers the warning signs in more detail.
Summary
Shilajit does contain a wide range of elements, but the "85 minerals" figure says more about how sensitive lab equipment is than about nutrition. A daily serving provides only small amounts of any mineral, and some of the elements on those lists are ones you want kept to a minimum. What matters most is that the resin is purified and independently tested.