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UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural organic and biogenic materials · Organic or biogenic material · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Copal
Also known asCopal Resin (conditional name)
Young, less mature sub-fossil resin or modern resin. It is not amber and must not be grouped with Amber; heat-treated material must be labelled. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Copal forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify CopalHow far lab testing can go and whether a synthetic exists
- Treatments and enhancements of Copal2 registered treatments: status, stability, how common they are and identification leads
- Caring for and wearing CopalCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them
- Copal in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Which of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A have a name for it on record, and do those agree?
- Listing and disclosing CopalThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define CopalWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Copal is a younger, subfossil or recent resin—a natural plant-resin material. Copal and amber both come from resin that hardened and became fossilized, but copal is very much the younger of the two: amber must exceed a million years, while copal is usually about a hundred thousand years old and always under a million. Experiments in which fresh Pinus resin was buried in sediment and matured across a range of temperatures and pressures show it drying out, losing volatile components and hardening and darkening into a brittle translucent yellow–orange–brown mass with flow lines, conchoidal fracture and gas bubbles like those of copal/amber; this offers an experimental footing for the diagenesis of copal and amber.
Scope: Applies to an overview of copal as a young resin: its definition, age and experimental diagenesis; the boundary with amber is drawn by age.
Sources GIA Amber Description · Journal article (resin maturation)
Where it forms
Resin exuded by trees (e.g. Pinus) is buried near-surface by sediment.
Sources GIA Amber Description
Subfossil maturation (diagenesis) proceeds within the sediment under certain temperature and pressure.
Sources GIA Amber Description
How it forms, step by step
A tree exudes resin, which is exposed and then buried by sediment.
Sources GIA Amber Description
In the sediment the resin loses water and volatile/labile components.
Sources Journal article (resin maturation)
Stable components polymerize/cross-link, and the resin consolidates into a brittle, translucent mass.
Sources Journal article (resin maturation)
When time and burial conditions fall short of amber, the product is copal (typically about a hundred thousand years old).
Sources GIA Amber Description
Link to appearance
Matured resin dries, darkens and hardens, with flow lines, birefringence, conchoidal fracture and gas bubbles, appearing as a yellow-orange-brown translucent mass resembling copal/amber.
Sources Journal article (resin maturation)
Timescale
Amber has to exceed a million years in age, whereas copal is younger—commonly about a hundred thousand years, and always below a million.
Sources GIA Amber Description
Supporting findings
Amber came into being tens of millions of years in the past, as sap from ancient trees hardened and became fossilized; the material must exceed a million years in age, whereas copal is younger and commonly around a hundred thousand years old.
Evidence grade BScope: States the age thresholds; copal ages may vary by locality.
Sources GIA Amber Description
In experiments, fresh resin of Pinus buried in sediment and matured across a range of temperatures and pressures dried out, darkened and hardened, becoming a brittle translucent mass of yellow–orange–brown hue that shows flow lines, conchoidal fracture and gas bubbles like those of copal/amber.
Evidence grade AScope: An experimental simulation of copal/amber diagenesis; experimental rather than direct natural observation.
Sources Journal article (resin maturation)
Amber counts as an organic gem—something produced by organisms, living or once-living, and by biological processes; copal falls into the same class of natural resinous materials.
Evidence grade BScope: Defines the organic origin of copal/amber; not a specific tree species.
Sources GIA Amber Description
Recorded localities
This is an organic material; its localities are the harvest or culture areas (waters or species ranges) recorded by authoritative sources.
Africa
- Tanzania
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 2009
- Madagascar
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 2009
South America
- Colombia
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 2009
- Brazil
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 2009
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Other research findings
Copal is a younger subfossil or recent resin; like amber it is a hardened/fossilized resin, but it is far younger than amber.
Evidence grade BScope: Defines the copal/amber boundary by age; not an identification of a specific sample.
Sources GIA Amber Description
Maturation of resin entails desiccation together with the loss of volatile/labile components, and may also occur through polymerization/cross-linking, in which the stable constituents bond into a macromolecule.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes compositional change during maturation; the macromolecule is a proposed mechanism.
Sources Journal article (resin maturation)
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- The copal age boundary (<1 Ma, typically ~0.1 Ma) comes mainly from GIA's educational material; specific samples require dating.
- The experimental maturation comes from a 2025 paper describing the mechanism, not direct observation of natural copal.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Copal resin (not amber)
GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.1 b) · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.2.3 “Copal”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
"Copal" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Laboratory identification required before the name is used.
Evidence
- GB/T · 5.1.1 b)
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Copal resin (not amber)" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- This entry's exact material identity is not fully settled.
- See “Disclosure and cautions” above
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Trade-name ruling
- Laboratory identification required before the name is used.
- Suggested listing name
- Copal resin (not amber)
Care and wear
Normal care for every gemstone (CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.1), in brief:
- Handle it gently.
- Store pieces apart when not worn, so they cannot scratch each other.
- Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush.
- Use ultrasonic cleaners only with caution.
The §6.1 wording and the full list of §6.2 special-care letters cited on this page are on the general gem care page.
Care
Copal — care (cleaning): Some stones are susceptible to damage from ultrasonic cleaning. Do not expose them to ultrasonic cleaning.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code j
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Copal, p.40; §6.2 j (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Copal — care (chemicals): dissolves on contact with solvents such as nail varnish remover; keep it away from all solvents and other strong chemicals.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code i
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Copal, p.40; §6.2 i (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Copal — care (wear): Some stones are prone to scratching due to low hardness. Wear them with care.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code a
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Copal, p.40; §6.2 a (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Copal — care (re-cutting): Stones with superficial colour and surface layers are not suitable for re-cutting or re-polishing.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code m
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Copal, p.40; §6.2 m (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Common care questions and matching entries
Copal is registered under the CIBJO (The World Jewellery Confederation) Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (2022): it must not be cleaned ultrasonically; it dissolves on contact with solvents such as nail-polish remover, so keep it away from all solvents and other strong chemicals; it is soft and scratches easily, so wear it with care; and pieces with surface colouring or a surface layer are not suitable for recutting or repolishing. As registered under CIBJO, all care conclusions for Copal cover any treatment state.
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| Question | Matching entries |
|---|---|
| Can it go in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner? | care (cleaning) |
| Contact with acids, alkalis and household chemicals | dissolves on contact with solvents such as nail varnish remover; keep it away from all solvents and other strong chemicals |
| Wearing limits (knocks, settings) | care (wear) |
Treatments and identification leads
Registered treatmentsThe treatments registered for Copal are dyeing and heat treatment. Stability and frequencyDyeing has the status treated, stability unstable and prevalence rare; heat treatment has the status treated, stability stable and prevalence common. Values not givenThe identification leads and sources for both dyeing and heat treatment are shown as “—”, meaning the cited source gives no value, not “none”. SyntheticsAccording to the registered entries, there is no synthetic copal on the market.
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| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dyeingStatus: treated | rarely | unstable | — | — | — |
| heatingStatus: treated | commonly | stable | — | heating under pressure | — |
Where each treatment acts (schematics): Dyed · Heated / Heat-treated
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022; JJA/AGL 2025
Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):
- GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
- CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15
What this table covers
What this page can give
- Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
- Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing
How lab reports word it
Report wording for Copal is set out under report wording on the Amber entry.
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Besides Copal, the name register records "Copal Resin", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded (GB/T 16552 revision draft for comment (2023, not in force) Table A.3; GB/T 16552—2017 no occurrence of “Copal Resin” in the full text); 2 further names in non-Latin scripts are listed in the name register below (2 with no restriction recorded on use as a name).
Chinese standard nameThe formal name of Copal is copal resin; it is not listed in GB/T 16552—2017 Annex A and, under the GB/T 16552—2017 naming rules, can be named directly by its material name. Candidate search termsOn the market it is also called semi-fossilised resin and Copal Resin, names of conditional use kept only as candidate search terms, taken from the GB/T 16552 revision draft for comment (2023, not in force); the JJA/AGL (Japan) gem name handbook 2025 also registers an alternative katakana transliteration, used only as a candidate search term. Recommended listing nameThe suggested listing name is Copal (not amber). Names in four languagesFour-language names are given in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Copal) and Japanese; the mineralogical name is a younger subfossil or recent resin, not amber. Institution usageOn authority wording, CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 records Copal; the FTC text on file has no wording for this name (checked); GIA and Gem-A are unchecked. Japanese namesThe entry has its own Japanese name, and the wording of Japan's GSJ for it is not yet verified by this site; bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
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| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (3) | ||||
| Copal ResinEnglish | synonym | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | GB/T 16552 revision draft for comment (2023, not in force) Table A.3; GB/T 16552—2017 no occurrence of “Copal Resin” in the full text; Note: Draft standard for comment, not in force. |
| コパルJapanese | transliteration | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.12 |
| 半石化树脂Simplified Chinese | synonym | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | GB/T 16552 revision draft for comment (2023, not in force) Table A.3; GB/T 16552—2017 the name does not occur anywhere in the text; Note: Draft standard for comment, not in force. |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- コーパル (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Mineral / material name (not in GB/T 16552 Annex A; usable directly)
- 柯巴树脂 (GB/T 16552—2017 §5.1.1 b))
- Mineralogical name
- Younger subfossil or recent resin; not amber
- Trade names and synonyms
- Copal Resin (synonym; conditional name)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 柯巴树脂
- 繁體中文
- 柯巴樹脂
- English
- Copal
- 日本語
- コーパル
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural organic and biogenic materials
- Browsing family
- Amber and natural resin materials
- Identity tier
- Organic or biogenic material
- Mineral chemical class
- Not applicable
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
JJA/AGL designationsFor Copal, the relevant listing in the "principal gem names" table (p.12) of the Japanese JJA/AGL Definitions and Nomenclature of Gems and Ornamental Materials, November 2025 revision, is: gem name Amber, colour yellow/green, with the listed treatment being heating under pressure (heat treatment), and the species column reading "amber/copal". The original does not name Copal specifically; Copal is a related entry, and the original does not explain how amber and copal are distinguished. See alsoHow to read the JJA/AGL table is explained on this site's Gem treatments page.
JJA/AGL (Japan) table of principal gem names, 2025
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| Gem name | Species | Colour | Listed in the table | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amber | Amber | yellow / green | heating under pressure (Heated / Heat-treated) | listed under “Amber” in the table; this page is related (the source does not name it); the Japanese name may also be written in katakana, with the kanji for amber, or as the loanword for amber; all are acceptable; the species column of this row reads “Amber/Copal”; the source does not explain the distinction |
JJA/AGL definitions and nomenclature (2025 revision), table of principal gem names, p.12
How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.
What it is and how it's identified
On durability, the registered facts for Copal are: for dyed Copal, the effect stability of dyeing is “unstable”; for heat-treated Copal, the effect stability of heat treatment is “stable”. This site notes that the effect stability of dyeing and of heat treatment each measures whether the effect of that particular treatment is stable, not whether Copal itself is durable; this site also notes that there is not enough data to reach a complete durability conclusion for Copal.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Durability
For Copal, the stability of dyeing is “unstable”.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- treated
- Treatment
- dyeing
- Qualification
This says how well the treatment holds up, not how durable Copal itself is.
- General note
- no durability verdict here
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
For Copal, the stability of heating is “stable”.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- treated
- Treatment
- heating
- Qualification
This says how well the treatment holds up, not how durable Copal itself is.
- General note
- no durability verdict here
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Testing and market
The testing-method note for Copal is microscope: acetone reaction and thermal reaction tests; the note comes from the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024. The tests the CIBJO laboratory protocol requires for Copal, and what each method means, are in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page. According to the CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022, no synthetic Copal is available on the market; among Copal in trade, dyeing occurs rarely and heating occurs commonly.
The tests the CIBJO laboratory protocol requires for this material, and what each method means, are in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page: §6.2.3.
How far testing can go
Copal — synthetic counterpart on the market: No synthetic counterpart of this material is commercially available
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
For Copal in trade, the reported frequency of dyeing is “rarely”.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- treated
- Treatment
- dyeing
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
For Copal in trade, the reported frequency of heating is “commonly”.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- treated
- Treatment
- heating
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Copal — notes on test methods in the CIBJO laboratory protocol:
| Test method | What the protocol notes for it |
|---|---|
| Microscope: | Acetone reaction, thermal reaction test |
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Copal has a direct definition in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 under the name Copal, defined as an amorphous organic material consisting of (sub)recent to fossilised resin. The cross-check result is a direct CIBJO definition; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex.
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| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copal | 7.2.2.3 | Copal is an amorphous organic material consisting of (sub) recent to fossilized resin. It is more recent in origin than amber. Distinction criteria | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
Related-entry tree for Amber on this site: 10 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Copal) is marked.
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| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Amber and natural resin materials | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Heated / Heat-treated | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Copal entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.