Arguably the most iconic part of most New Year’s celebrations, fireworks have lit the night sky for centuries. A mixture of flammable fuel and other mineral substances elicits loud bangs and bright colors once ignited. What kinds of minerals are found in fireworks, and what energies do they bring to the new year?
Sulfur is an essential ingredient in all fireworks. It acts as a combustible fuel that also lowers the combustion temperature, thereby accelerating the burning of the charcoal and other ingredients inside. Sulfur is traditionally used in folk magic to scrub away harmful energy, as well as for ending bad luck and breaking curses. Consider working with sulfur crystals if you need help letting go of the old year to make room for the new.
Barite provides green-hued sparkles to these nighttime spectacles of light. Barite is an extremely dense stone, often associated with higher consciousness, accelerating spiritual development, and assisting communication with your guides and spirit guardians. Because of its density, I like to work with barite when I need help bringing my goals down from the mental plane and into the material.
Iron ores, like hematite, are used to make the iron filings that produce brilliant gold sparks. Hematite keeps us grounded, level-headed, and filled with drive to accomplish our goals. Try meditating with this iron mineral when you feel depleted or need some help taking concrete actions to achieve your resolutions this year.
Halite, better known as rock salt, yields the sodium required to make vivid yellow flashes in fireworks. This mineral is an energy scrubber and preserver; it clears away the old, stale energy to leave us ready and refreshed for what is coming next. Halite has a long association with wealth, too, and it might be the perfect ally to help you work toward your financial goals of 2023.
Titanium-rich minerals, like rutile, create silvery-white sparkles against the backdrop of the night sky. Rutile is protective, energizing, and connective. Working with rutilated quartz supports healthy communication by helping you perceive and project the meaning behind words more effectively.
Chalcopyrite, also known as peacock ore, is one of several important copper minerals that produces brilliant blue fireworks. Copper is synergistic, creative, and warm. Ruled by Venus, all copper minerals invite us to seek pleasure, beauty, and harmony–perfect themes to start 2023 off the right way.
Celestite is a strontium sulfate mineral, and it is surprisingly responsible for the fiery reds found in fireworks displays. Ordinarily considered serene and peaceful, there is a hidden fire in celestite that speaks to the creativity it sparks when we learn to cultivate stillness. Let this crystal inspire you to a more creative, expressive, and enjoyable new year.
Did any of the colors these minerals produce surprise you? Maybe the golden chalcopyrite’s bright blue sparks, or the normally colorless halite producing bright yellow flashes? I’ve always found the fiery red created by soft, cerulian celestite to be an interesting juxtaposition.
These spectral colors produced by crystals being ignited are actually used in a special kind of lab experiment called flame testing. Holding a mineral to a high-temperature flame or burner (in a controlled environment with adequate safety gear) is one way that geologists and other scientists learn to identify minerals. If you’d like to learn more about mineral identification–and learn safe and easy methods for testing at home–be sure to join on Patreon this month for my Crystal Identification Made Easy class!
I hope the minerals in our fireworks inspire you to create a magical and marvelous new year. May 2023 be your best year yet!
