On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Trade name: colour / appearance variety · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Green Quartz
Also known asPrasiolite (conditional name)
A name listed in GB/T 16552-2017 Appendix A Table A.1 for green Quartz; the cause of colour and any treatment must be identified, and it cannot automatically be equated with Prasiolite. 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 Green Quartz forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale; where its colour and optical effects come from, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify Green QuartzIdentification points from the research literature; how far lab testing can go and whether a synthetic exists
- Treatments and enhancements of Green Quartz1 registered treatments: status, stability, how common they are and identification leads
- Caring for and wearing Green QuartzDurability indicators and wearing advice
- Hardness, density and refractive index of Green QuartzEach value with its source and check date
- Green Quartz in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Has any of GIA, FTC, CIBJO or Gem-A put a name for it on record here?
- Name origin and history of Green QuartzWhere the name comes from
- Listing and disclosing Green QuartzThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define Green QuartzWhich 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
Green quartz is a colour/commercial name for quartz (its parent), not an independent species. Natural green quartz may develop from amethyst under certain geologic conditions: low-grade radiation over geologic time produces the amethystine colour, and later high-temperature extruding volcanic bodies shift the colour toward citrine or green quartz. Quartz (amethyst) colour arises from iron impurity in the silica structure, and heating destabilizes this colour centre to yield the yellow of citrine and the rarer green. Most gem-quality green quartz (prasiolite, 'greened amethyst') is produced by heating amethyst (about 140–380°C for one hour). Hence the colour origin of 'green quartz' (natural vs heat-treated) requires identification.
Scope: Covers an overview of the formation of green quartz; formation content follows that of the parent material quartz, and distinguishes natural transformation from artificial heat treatment.
Sources G&G Spring 1982 · Handbook of Mineralogy
Where it forms
Vugs/cavities in volcanic (basalt-andesite) systems; quartz slowly deposited from migrating silica solutions, then recoloured by low-grade radiation and volcanic heating.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
How it forms, step by step
Migrating silica solutions slowly deposit quartz in rock cavities, incorporating iron impurity.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
Low-grade radiation over geologic time produces the amethyst colour centre.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
High-temperature volcanic heating destabilizes the colour centre, shifting the colour to citrine or green (or this is done artificially by heating).
Sources G&G Spring 1982
Link to appearance
The colour of green quartz depends on iron impurity and radiation/heating history; appearance alone cannot establish whether it is natural or heat-treated.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
Timescale
The source gives a temperature range for heat-induced colour change (about 140–380°C for one hour) as a treatment condition, but no absolute age or growth duration.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
Related base materials
- quartz: Green quartz is a colour/commercial variety name for quartz; its parent material is quartz
Supporting findings
Natural green quartz may develop from amethyst under certain geologic conditions: low-grade radiation over geologic time produces the amethystine colour, and later high-temperature extruding volcanic bodies cause the colour to change to citrine or green quartz.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes one natural pathway (amethyst→green quartz); an institutional, 'believed to be' statement.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
North America
- About 33 km north of Reno, California–Nevada border, Nevada, United StatesA natural green-quartz occurrence recorded by the author, not a commercial mine
Sources G&G Spring 1982
South America
- Montezuma area, Minas Gerais, BrazilSource of amethyst that turns green on heating
Sources G&G Spring 1982
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.
Causes of colour and optical effects
The colour of quartz (amethyst) arises from iron impurity in the silica structure; heating destabilizes this colour centre, producing the yellow of citrine and the rarer green.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes the colour cause and heat-induced colour change; not all green quartz forms this way.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
Where the name comes from
Green quartz is a colour/trade variety name for quartz, whose parent mineral is quartz; this etymology belongs to the parent mineral quartz — of obscure origin in the Middle Ages, first applied to gangue in Saxony, Germany. It is not the origin of the trade name "green quartz".
Evidence grade BScope: This states only the origin of the name and does not establish the material's composition, locality, natural origin, or whether it was treated. The etymology belongs to the parent mineral name and is not the origin of the trade or variety name itself.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
How it is identified
Natural and synthetic green quartz can look alike and are not easily told apart by eye. Drawing on quartz research, the separation can use conventional gem-lab instruments plus instrumental analysis—for example a polariscope with a conoscope to find the optic axis, a refractometer where useful, together with EDXRF chemical analysis and infrared spectra; this is laboratory testing, and the call should come from an accredited body.
Evidence grade AScope: Natural/synthetic green quartz must be tested instrumentally in a laboratory, with the conclusion from an accredited body.
Other research findings
Most gem-quality green quartz (prasiolite, 'greened amethyst') is produced by heating amethyst; exposing amethyst to about 140–380°C for one hour is sufficient to artificially alter the purple to green or yellow.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes post-treatment (heat-induced colour change) of existing amethyst; not synthesis from scratch.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
'Green quartz' is a colour/commercial name for quartz (industry names prasiolite or 'greened amethyst'); whether its colour is natural or heat-induced requires identification.
Evidence grade AScope: Defines the name's nature and flags that natural vs treated requires identification; does not claim it is a species.
Sources G&G Spring 1982
The parent mineral quartz of green quartz has the composition SiO2 with traces of other elements.
Evidence grade BScope: A composition fact only; no genetic implication.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- Green quartz is a colour/commercial name for quartz, not an independent species; formation rests on the parent quartz.
- Whether the colour is natural or heat-induced requires identification; both pathways are presented.
- No absolute age or growth duration is given.
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
- Green Quartz (treatment status stated separately)
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Green Quartz” · IMA Mineral List 2026-07 “Quartz”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated, Irradiated, Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Dyed (via parent material), Coated (via parent material)
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
"Green Quartz" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Trade name rather than a mineralogical species name.
Evidence
- GB/T · Table A.1, row 绿水晶 (Green Quartz)
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Green Quartz (treatment status stated separately)" 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
- Trade name rather than a mineralogical species name.
- Suggested listing name
- Green Quartz (treatment status stated separately)
Care and wear
No care facts are recorded for this entry itself. Its parent material has care records: see Quartz.
Durability and wearing
Toughness
Brittle, tough when massive
Daily wear
Quartz ranks 7 on the Mohs scale with cleavage rarely observable — tough when massive; it is fairly wear-resistant in daily use but remains brittle and should be protected from hard blows.
Care
As a brittle material with cleavage, clean gently with warm, mild soapy water and a soft cloth; avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners, sudden temperature changes, and impact or rubbing against hard objects.
General guidance: LumaLark's general guidance inferred from the material's properties (hardness, toughness, cleavage); not text from the cited source, and not a guarantee for any specific piece.
Scope: This field describes the general properties of the material and does not constitute a durability or safety guarantee for any specific finished product; the durability of treated (filled/dyed/coated) or composite pieces must be assessed separately.
Treatments and identification leads
Registered treatmentsThe treatment registered for Green Quartz is heating. Stability and frequencyHeating has the status treated, its stability is marked stable and it occurs commonly; stability here refers to whether the effect of heating is stable, not to whether Green Quartz itself is durable. Identification cluesThe identification leads are: amethyst can turn into citrine or Green Quartz on heating, and in quartz gems the colour after heating is stable and hard to detect. The cited source is the heating clause of GB/T 16553—2017. SyntheticsSynthetic Green Quartz is common on the market, for any treatment state.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| heatingStatus: treated | commonly | stable | Optimization | heating | See identification leads |
| Irradiation | — | — | Optimization | — | — |
| Filling | — | — | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 | — | — |
| Dyeing | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
| Coating | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
| irradiation | — | — | — | irradiation | — |
Where each treatment acts (schematics): Heated / Heat-treated
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 · GB/T 16553—2017; GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (row for Rock Crystal); 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
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Besides Green Quartz, the name register records "Prasiolite", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded.
Standard and listing namesThe Chinese formal name for Green Quartz comes from GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1; Green Quartz is a trade name, not a mineralogical species name. The suggested listing name is green quartz (treatment state stated separately). Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is Green quartz, with the note that the cause of colour and any treatment must be established by testing. A trade name or synonym is Prasiolite, for specific material only; it is an English market name, matched only once its conditions are confirmed. Names in four languagesThe four-language names cover Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Green Quartz) and Japanese; the GSJ (Japan) wording for the entry's own Japanese name is not yet verified by this site. Institution usageAmong GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A, the FTC text on file has been checked and has no wording for Green Quartz; the wording of GIA, CIBJO and Gem-A is unchecked. Bodies without a record show the entry's own English name, Green Quartz, 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.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (1) | ||||
| PrasioliteEnglish | market name | matched only once the condition is confirmed | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- グリーンクォーツ (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Chinese formal name
- 绿水晶 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Green quartz; colour origin and treatment require identification
- Trade names and synonyms
- Prasiolite (market name; conditional name)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 绿水晶
- 繁體中文
- 綠水晶
- English
- Green Quartz
- 日本語
- グリーンクォーツ
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Quartz and chalcedony materials
- Identity tier
- Trade name: colour / appearance variety
- Mineral chemical class
- Silicates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
GB/T Table B.1Under the Rock crystal row of GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1, heat treatment and irradiation of Green Quartz are categorised as enhancements, filling is graded, and dyeing and coating are categorised as treatments; the notes to Table B.1 and the definitions of the filling grades are on the Gem treatments page. JJA/AGL designationsThe 2025 nomenclature of the JJA/AGL (Japan) lists Green Quartz under the species name quartz, in green, with heating and irradiation listed as treatments, recorded respectively as heat treatment and irradiation treatment; the note on heating gives the alternative name greened amethyst.
GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1
Under the “Rock Crystal” row of Table B.1: Heating Optimization; Irradiation Optimization; Filling Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1; Dyeing Treatment; Coating Treatment. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Rock Crystal page.
What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.
JJA/AGL (Japan) table of principal gem names, 2025
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Gem name | Species | Colour | Listed in the table | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Quartz | Quartz | green | an untreated tier is listed; heating (Heated / Heat-treated); irradiation (Irradiated) | (heated tier) also called greened amethyst |
JJA/AGL definitions and nomenclature (2025 revision), table of principal gem names, p.10
How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.
What it is and how it's identified
Green Quartz is composed of quartz (phase). Recorded under rock crystal (the whole class), Green Quartz is crystalline and trigonal, with a hexagonal prismatic habit and distinct horizontal striations on the prism faces, Mohs hardness 7 and cleavage none. Also recorded under rock crystal (the whole class), its density is 2.64–2.69 g/cm³, derived from the cited clause value 2.66 with tolerance +0.03/−0.02; refractive index 1.544–1.553, birefringence 0.009; optic character anisotropic, uniaxial, positive, a bull's-eye interference figure may appear, and Brazil-law twinning is common in amethyst; among optical effects, chatoyancy may be seen, and asterism may be seen as a six-rayed star, mostly in rose quartz. Green Quartz is transparent. When untreated, its body colour is green to yellowish green; under rock crystal (the whole class), pleochroism when untreated is weak and varies with colour, and lustre is vitreous.
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”.
Chemical composition, luminescence, UV-visible spectrum, infrared spectrum, magnification: these whole-class features are given in the cited clause for rock crystal (the whole class), so they are not repeated on the Green Quartz page; see the material facts on the Rock Crystal entry.
Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Green Quartz (how to read class-level values).
Definition
Green Quartz — composition (phase): quartz
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Green Quartz — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — structure (crystal system): trigonal
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — structure (crystal habit): hexagonal prisms with prominent horizontal striations on the prism faces
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Durability
Green Quartz — Mohs hardness: 7
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — cleavage: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
For Green Quartz, 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 Green Quartz itself is.
- General note
- no durability verdict here
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Physical properties
Green Quartz — density: 2.64–2.69 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 2.66, with a stated tolerance of +0.03 / -0.02. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Optical
Green Quartz — optic character: anisotropic material, uniaxial, with positive optic character; a “Bull's eye” interference figure may be present, and Brazil-law twinning is common in amethyst.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — refractive index: 1.544–1.553
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — birefringence: 0.009
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — transparency: transparent.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Green Quartz — pleochroism: weak; it depends on the body colour.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — optical effect (chatoyancy): seen
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — optical effect (asterism): seen; a six-rayed star, common in rose quartz.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
body colour2 sources compared
Green Quartz — body colour: Green to yellowish green.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Chrysoprase, Demantoid, Prehnite and other entries also name green or a greenish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Green Quartz — body colour: green to yellow-green
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
In chapter 5 of GB/T 16553—2017, the colour entries of Emerald, Peridot, Brazilianite and other variety clauses also name green or a greenish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 Colour · Green quartz (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
How the sources relate
- CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 and GB/T 16553—2017
Both give green to yellowish green, in essentially the same words.
- CIBJO definitions
- chatoyancy, asterism
Quality factors
Green Quartz — quality factor (lustre): vitreous
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- 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.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.548 / 2.67; Closest values: 1Agate 1.537 / 2.63, 2Shoushan Stone 1.56 / 2.7, 3Changhua Stone 1.56 / 2.6, 4Bamboo Coral 1.57 / 2.65, 5Synthetic Beryl 1.57 / 2.69
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
The identification lead for heat treatment in Green Quartz is that amethyst may turn into citrine or Green Quartz on heating, and heated quartz gems are stable in colour and not easy to detect. This lead comes from GB/T 16553—2017, which can only be followed as a reference for the Green Quartz entry and does not govern it directly. In Green Quartz on the market, heat treatment is common. Synthetic Green Quartz is common on the market. The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Green Quartz under Quartz; the identification methods and the list of required tests are on the Quartz entry and the laboratory testing page respectively.
The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Green Quartz under “Quartz” (§6.1.65): see identification on the Quartz entry; the required tests are listed on the CIBJO laboratory protocol table for Quartz.
How far testing can go
Green Quartz that has undergone heating can be identified by the following features: Amethyst may turn into citrine or green quartz on heating; heated quartz gems are stable in colour and not easy to detect.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- treated
- Does this standard apply
- can be followed as a reference only
- Treatment
- heating
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (heating) (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Quartz — synthetic counterpart on the market: Synthetic counterparts of this material are common in the trade
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
For Green Quartz 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
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Green Quartz is defined directly in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 under the entry name Prasiolite, as a green to yellowish-green, transparent variety of quartz; cross-check result: defined directly by CIBJO, and the same English name was not found directly in the GB/T annex. Green quartz is also called Prasiolite, with conditional applicability: Green Quartz is not a single mineral variety and must not be automatically equated with Prasiolite or with natural colour. Green quartz is listed directly in GB/T 16552—2017 Annex A, under the name Green Quartz, with the note that it is green quartz whose colour origin and treatment must be identified; cross-check result: listed directly in GB/T; not found under a standalone heading of the same name in CIBJO.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prasiolite | 7.2.1.183 | Green to yellowish green, transparent variety of quartz | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
| Green Quartz | GB/T 16552-2017 Annex A | Green quartz; colour origin and treatment require identification | Listed directly by GB/T; CIBJO carries no standalone entry under the same name. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. Gemmological Laboratories Book (Blue Book), Gemmological Commission 2024-1.
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. The Gemstone Book (Blue Book), 2022.
- SAMR / SAC (China). GB/T 16552—2017 Gems — Nomenclature.
- RRUFF Project, in partnership with the IMA – International Mineralogical Association. IMA Mineral List.
- Geological Survey of Japan, AIST (Japan). Museum mineral specimens, browse by classification.
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 Quartz on this site: 74 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Green Quartz) is marked.
- Quartz
Sub-entries (57)
- Agate
Sub-entries (1)
- Amethyst
- Ametrine
- Aventurine Quartz
- Aventurine Quartz / Green Aventurine
- Banded Agate
- Black Agate
- Bloodstone / Heliotrope
- Blue Lace Agate
- Carnelian
- Chalcedony
Sub-entries (2)
- Chrysoprase
- Citrine
- Clear Quartz / Rock Crystal
- Coated Quartz
- Colourless to White Quartz (brand name: Azeztulite)
- Crazy Lace Agate
- Dendritic Agate
- Dyed Agate (Treated: dyed)
- Elestial Quartz / Skeletal Quartz
- Eye Agate
- Flower Agate / Cherry Blossom Agate
- Green Quartz
- High-clarity quartz with golden needle-like inclusions
- Included Quartz
- Jasper
Sub-entries (1)
- Madeira Citrine
- Malachite Agate
- Morion / very dark Smoky Quartz
- Moss Agate
- Moss Chalcedony
- Multi-inclusion Quartz
- Onyx (banded chalcedony)
- Phantom Quartz
- Prase
- Prasiolite / Green Quartz
- Quartz Cat’s-eye
- Quartz claimed to be from the Himalayas
- Quartz Crystal
- Quartz with dark needle-like inclusions
- Quartz with fine fibrous inclusions
- Quartz with flower-like inclusions
- Quartz with golden needle-like inclusions
- Quartz with green needle-like inclusions
- Quartzite Jade
- Quartzose Jade
- Red Agate
- Rock Crystal
- Rose Quartz
- Rutilated Quartz
- Sard
- Sardonyx
- Silicified Asbestos
Sub-entries (2)
- Hawk’s Eye
- Tiger’s Eye
Sub-entries (1)
- Smoky Quartz
- Smoky Quartz (brown variety)
- Strawberry Quartz
- Yellow-green Quartz
- Agate
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Quartz and chalcedony materials | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Heated / Heat-treated, Irradiated, Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Dyed (via parent material), Coated (via parent material) | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Green Quartz 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.