Shilajit harvesting process: How we gather Himalayan resin

Namaste dai-bahini - I am from Namche Bazaar and I still carry the smell of yak butter tea in my hands. I grew up watching elders climb the cliffs to collect dark resin that we call shilajit. Now, living in Australia and importing resin, I want to tell you simply how the shilajit harvesting process works - the honest way we do it, by hands that know the mountains.

Steps in the shilajit harvesting process

The work is not one day, it is a small chain of careful moves. Here are the main steps we follow:

• Find the right season - late spring and summer when sun warms the rock and resin softens.
• Careful collection - villagers gently scrape the resin by hand from sheltered fissures, using wooden tools and cloth to avoid contamination.
• Initial cleaning - remove visible dirt and small stones on site, keep the resin in clean containers.
• Traditional purification - Shodhana method to remove impurities while keeping working molecules alive.
• Sun and shade drying - we dry slowly, sometimes sun-warming but often in shaded air to keep potency.
• Testing and packaging - each batch is tested for heavy metals and authenticity and then packed into 30 g tins.

Traditional collection and why it matters

We do not blast or heat the cliffs. My elders taught us to wait for the warm hours and collect the resin that the mountain offers. It is slow, respectful work. The shilajit harvesting process is a conversation with the land - you listen to seasons, to where the resin forms, and you don't take more than needed. This keeps the mountain alive and the resin pure.

Purification - the Shodhana method and gentle drying

When we bring resin down from the cliffs, the real care begins. Shodhana is a traditional cleansing method using water, herbal decoctions, and controlled heat - not harsh chemicals. The goal is to remove impurities while preserving fulvic acid and other active components. We filter the mixture multiple times, let sediments settle, and dry slowly. Many modern factories try to speed this with strong solvents - we choose patient hands and sunlight whenever possible.

After purification, we sun-dry the resin lightly and then shade-dry to keep its texture soft and its energy alive. This gentle approach is part of why villagers trust our product.

Testing, transparency, and small-batch packaging

Mountain knowledge is matched with modern testing. Every batch goes to a lab for heavy metal screening and authenticity checks. I learned from the elders that honesty matters more than profit - so we share the results. When you buy from us, the resin comes in a 30 g tin, fresh and simple. If you want to see more about our story, find our pages at ShilNepal.

When I send tins to friends and customers in Australia, I also tell them exactly how we made it. If you prefer to try one of our tins, you can buy fresh resin directly from our product page here. It is the same resin my village trusts.

How to tell if harvesting was done well

Look, taste, and trust the story - a few simple checks help:

• Texture - pure resin is soft, pliable, not brittle or powdery.
• Smell - a deep earthy, slightly sweet scent; not chemical or sharp.
• Lab results - ask for heavy metal and authenticity tests before you buy.
• Story - know who collected it and how. Real mountain resin has names and places behind it.