What are Ash Stones? Turning Cremated Remains into Beautiful Stones
After cremation, many things can be done with ashes, and new options seem to hit the market each year. One of these options is ash stones or cremation ash memorial stones.. However, this is not a stone carved or etched to memorialize a loved one. An ash stone is the byproduct of solidifying cremation ashes and is a service provided by a company called Parting Stone. Learn more about the company and how they are made.
What is the Parting Stone?
The Parting Stone is a U.S. company that solidifies cremation ashes into smooth, unique pebbles. The company uses scientific processes to turn powdery ashes into a solid form, resembling a collection of stones.
Note that Eirene Cremations is a Canadian reseller of Parting Stone's offering, handling Canadian orders and shipping to and from Parting Stone on behalf of its customers. Your final product shipped from us in Toronto.
Parting Stone was founded in 2019 by Justin Crowe in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratories. The development of the idea for the company began in 2014 after the death of Crowe's grandfather. He became interested in how people experience loss and handle the cremated remains of their loved ones. He wanted to create a more meaningful way to keep ashes in your home, especially for those who were storing them.
Crowe received a grant to work with scientists at Alamos National Laboratory, and together they launched the product in beta in October 2019. Since then, the process has gained popularity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parting Stone has received the Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Award in 2020 and the KIP Award for death care innovation.
How does the solidified remains process work?
The Parting Stone technology is similar to the process of making ceramics. Except it is done with a more scientific approach.
A collection kit is sent to a customer. The cremation ashes is placed in the kit, and it is sent to the Parting Stone lab in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In Canada, you ship them to Eirene, and we ship them to Parting Stone.
After Parting Stone receives the ashes, they undergo a purification process. Contaminants like staples, screws, and implants are removed from the remains during this step if they haven't been removed already by the crematorium (in most cases, they will have been removed in Canada).
After purification, a binder is added to convert the ashes into a clay-like material. The solids are formed and crafted into stones. Next, the stones are solidified in a kiln. Finally, the stones are cleaned, polished, and returned to the customer. The entire process typically takes 10 weeks after the lab receives the ashes.
The number of stones returned depends on the initial volume of ashes received. However, there is typically a 1:1 ratio with solidified remains – if six cups of ash are received, roughly six cups of stones are created. The stones vary in size and quantity, but the average cremated human body will yield 40 to 60 stones.
What do the memorial ash stones look like?
The stones vary in size, shape, and colour. The size of a stone can vary from the size of a thumbnail to the size of your palm. The colour is usually close to white and can come in various hues and textures.
They have a similar hardness to regular stones, so they will not disintegrate or dissolve on their own, nor will they break down in water. The stones are also not likely to break if dropped; however, they may break if there is a lot of force if they are dropped.
The company does not fully understand the cause of the colour or texture variation of the final stones, but it is currently gathering data to gain further insight on how color is created. However, since the process does not allow for much personalization, customers cannot pick the size, colour, or shape of the solidified remains.
Where is this process available?
The process is currently only available within the United States and Canada. The ashes can be shipped to the facility and are available for pick-up or drop-off in Sante Fe or Albuquerque, New Mexico. For Canadians, read on below.
The Parting Stone in Canada
The shipping process for Canadians differs slightly from in the U.S. In Canada, we handle the shipping for you at Eirene. You ship the ashes to us in Toronto (contact us at support@eirene.ca for information), and we work with The Parting Stone to have your order processed and ship your stones back to you at your Canadian address.
What kinds of ashes can be used?
The Parting Stone offers this process for both human and pet cremated remains.
The process is the same for both human and pet remains, but the cost and the number of stones created varies. The number of stones produced depends on the quantity of ashes received. Human ashes produce 40 or more stones.
Pet ash stones
Pet memorial stones can be created from ashes for dogs, cats, rodents, birds, rabbits, reptiles, horses, and fish.
A larger animal like a horse may result in 250 to 400 stones for pet ashes. In contrast, a bird will likely produce two to six stones.
How much do solidified remains cost?
For human cremated remains, the process costs $2,350 CAD (including shipping of the stones from the U.S. lab to you). The cost for animal ashes depends on the type of animal. Below is a list of the prices currently on the site, and are subject to change without notice. Please check with us at support@eirene.ca or the latest pricing.
They range as follows (pricing is CAD and excludes shipping):
- Dog: $1,395 CAD
- Cat: $1,095 CAD
- Small animals: $945 CAD
- Horse: $13,395 CAD
Questions?
Contact us at support@eirene.ca to have your questions answered or to start an order. Or call is at 647
