Shilajit is one of the most sought-after Ayurvedic ingredients in the global supplement market โ and one of the easiest to buy badly. Unlike a plant extract, Shilajit is a purified mineral exudate, so grade, purification method, and heavy-metal documentation matter more here than for almost any other botanical. This guide covers how to specify fulvic acid grade, what a genuine CoA must show, and how to avoid the quality traps.
What Is Shilajit Extract?
Shilajit (Asphaltum punjabianum) is not a herb. It is a blackish-brown resinous exudate that seeps from rock fissures in high-altitude mountain ranges โ primarily the Himalayas, Altai, and Caucasus โ formed over centuries from the slow decomposition of plant and microbial matter compressed between rock layers. In Ayurveda it is classified as a rasayana (rejuvenative) and has been used for energy, vitality, and mineral nourishment for over a thousand years.
Crude Shilajit straight from the rock is not a saleable ingredient. It contains soil, mineral debris, and frequently elevated levels of heavy metals. To become a safe, standardised commercial ingredient it must undergo Shodhana โ a traditional purification process โ followed by modern filtration, concentration, and analytical testing. The finished material sold to supplement manufacturers is best described as purified Shilajit extract (Asphaltum).
The active fraction is what buyers pay for. Commercial Shilajit is standardised primarily for fulvic acid, with secondary attention to dibenzo-ฮฑ-pyrones (DBPs) โ the small, highly bioavailable molecules increasingly cited in clinical literature as Shilajit's signature actives.
How to Specify Grade: It's All About Fulvic Acid
The single most important specification line for Shilajit is its fulvic acid percentage, measured gravimetrically. This is the number that determines price, potency, and label claim. Global buyers typically source three grades:
| Grade | Fulvic Acid (gravimetric) | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 20% | Value blends, multi-ingredient formulas, cost-sensitive markets |
| High-potency | 50% | Branded single-ingredient capsules, premium blends |
| Premium | 70% | Flagship products, clinical-positioning SKUs, resin-style premium |
A higher fulvic acid percentage means more active fraction per gram and a smaller effective dose โ but it also costs more and is harder to produce consistently. Match the grade to the product: a 20% grade is perfectly appropriate for a multi-herb adaptogen blend, while a flagship "pure Shilajit" capsule should carry a 50% or 70% standardisation to justify its positioning.
Buyer tip: Always confirm whether the fulvic acid figure is determined gravimetrically and against which reference method. "Fulvic acid %" with no stated method is a red flag โ different methods produce very different numbers, and an unscrupulous supplier can inflate the value. Ask for the assay method to appear on the CoA itself, not just in an email.
Resin vs Extract vs Powder: Which Form Do You Need?
Shilajit is sold in several physical forms, and the right choice depends on your manufacturing process:
- Purified resin: The traditional sticky, tar-like form. Premium positioning and strong consumer appeal, but difficult to dose precisely, messy to handle at scale, and unsuitable for capsule or tablet lines without further processing.
- Spray-dried / standardised extract powder: A free-flowing powder standardised to a defined fulvic acid percentage. This is the workhorse form for capsules, tablets, sachets, and functional blends โ consistent, easy to dose, and analytically reliable. This is what most supplement manufacturers should specify.
- Liquid concentrate: Used in shots, tonics, and some cosmetic applications. Less common in mainstream supplement manufacturing.
For the vast majority of B2B supplement applications, a standardised spray-dried extract powder at a defined fulvic acid grade is the correct specification. It carries a documented CoA, doses cleanly, and survives encapsulation and tableting.
What a Genuine Shilajit CoA Must Show
Because Shilajit is a mineral exudate, its Certificate of Analysis carries more weight than for most botanicals โ it is the only thing standing between a clean ingredient and a contaminated one. A complete, trustworthy CoA should include every line below. The values shown are from a representative SV Botanica 70% grade batch.
| Parameter | Specification / Method | Representative Result |
|---|---|---|
| Fulvic acid | Gravimetric, NLT 70% | 71.04% |
| Particle size | #40 mesh pass | 96.98% |
| Loss on drying | <5% | 2.63% |
| Bulk density | g/ml | 0.628 |
| pH (1% solution) | Acidic range | 4.87 |
| Solubility | Water-soluble | 96.25% |
| Lead (Pb) | ICP-MS, โค1.0 ppm | Complies |
| Arsenic (As) | ICP-MS, โค1.0 ppm | Complies |
| Cadmium (Cd) | ICP-MS, โค0.3 ppm | Complies |
| Mercury (Hg) | ICP-MS, โค0.1 ppm | Complies |
| Total plate count | CFU/g | 241 |
| Yeast & mould | CFU/g | 24 |
| Shelf life | From manufacture | 36 months |
The heavy-metal block is the part to scrutinise hardest. Insist that it is determined by ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), the gold-standard method, with numeric limits stated for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. A CoA that says only "heavy metals: complies" without a method and per-element limits is not adequate for Shilajit.
Why Heavy-Metal Testing Is Non-Negotiable
This is the issue that separates safe Shilajit from dangerous Shilajit. Because it forms inside mineral-rich rock, crude Shilajit can naturally carry elevated lead and arsenic. Several published analyses of unregulated, direct-from-mountain "raw" Shilajit sold online have found heavy-metal levels well above food-safety thresholds. Purification and per-batch ICP-MS testing are what make the ingredient safe โ and they are exactly what cheap, undocumented supply skips.
If you are formulating for the EU, US, UK, or any regulated market, heavy-metal compliance is not optional and the liability sits with you, the manufacturer. We cover this in depth in our companion article on purified vs raw Shilajit and why heavy-metal testing matters.
Why Source Shilajit Extract from India?
India sits at the doorstep of the Himalayan source region and has a mature, certified herbal-extract manufacturing base purpose-built for export. The advantages of sourcing directly from Indian manufacturers are significant:
- Source proximity: Direct access to genuine Himalayan-origin raw Shilajit, with traceability back to collection region.
- Purification expertise: Indian Ayurvedic manufacturers have generations of experience with Shodhana purification, now paired with modern ICP-MS and HPLC analytics.
- Competitive pricing: Direct manufacturer pricing from GMP-certified facilities eliminates distributor margins, typically 30โ50% below equivalent EU- or US-stocked material.
- Certification depth: GMP, ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, Halal, and Kosher certifications are standard from established Indian exporters, with full CoA, heavy-metal, microbial, and pesticide documentation.
What to Ask Your Supplier
When evaluating Shilajit extract suppliers for commercial supply, procurement teams should request the following as a minimum:
- Batch-specific CoA stating fulvic acid % and the assay method used
- Heavy-metal report by ICP-MS with numeric limits for Pb, As, Cd, Hg
- Confirmation of Shodhana / purification process applied to the raw material
- Microbial safety certificate (total plate count, yeast, mould, pathogens)
- Solubility and particle-size data appropriate to your process
- Stability data or shelf-life certificate (minimum 24 months; 36 is achievable)
- Origin declaration confirming Himalayan / genuine source region
SV Botanica supplies purified Shilajit extract in 20%, 50%, and 70% fulvic acid grades from GMP-certified manufacturing partners in India, with full documentation packages available prior to bulk order commitment. Free samples are available for qualified buyers to evaluate quality before placing commercial orders.
Source Purified Shilajit Extract from India
20% ยท 50% ยท 70% fulvic acid ยท ICP-MS heavy-metal tested ยท GMP certified ยท Free samples for qualified buyers