On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral / gemstone variety · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Melanite
Also known asMelanite garnet
A black variety of andradite, listed as “melanite” in Table A.1 of GB/T 16552—2017; not a separate mineral species. 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 Melanite 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 MelaniteHow far lab testing can go and whether a synthetic exists
- Treatments and enhancements of MelaniteThe enhancements and treatments the GB/T and JJA/AGL tables list
- Caring for and wearing MelaniteCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them; durability indicators and wearing advice
- Hardness, density and refractive index of MelaniteEach value with its source and check date
- Melanite 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?
- Name origin and history of MelaniteWhere the name comes from
- Listing and disclosing MelaniteThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define MelaniteWhich 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
Melanite is the black, titanium-bearing variety of andradite rather than a species of its own. Its parent, andradite—end-member Ca3Fe2(SiO4)3—ranks among the five garnet species of commercial gem value. The mineral is found in skarns produced by contact metamorphism of impure limestones or of calcic igneous rocks, in chlorite schists and serpentinites, and in alkalic igneous rocks where titanium is characteristically present. Colours range to grayish black and black, and sectored stones are common. Andradite's origins are diverse: its green form, demantoid, develops in serpentinized ultramafic veins or in skarns. This entry draws on the parent andradite and does not present the parent's broad genesis as though it were peculiar to melanite.
Scope: Covers an overview of the formation of melanite (the black variety of andradite); formation content follows that of the parent material andradite.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy · G&G Summer 2023 · GIA Garnet Description
Where it forms
Skarns formed by contact metamorphism of impure limestone or calcic igneous rock; chlorite schists together with serpentinites; alkalic igneous rocks, generally titaniferous.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
How it forms, step by step
Contact metamorphism/metasomatism reacts impure limestone or calcic rocks to form a skarn assemblage.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Andradite crystallizes in the skarn or alkalic-igneous setting.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
The more Ti-rich black variety is 'melanite'.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Link to appearance
The black appearance of melanite corresponds to the 'grayish black, black' end of andradite's colour range and is often sectored; appearance alone cannot determine origin, naturalness, or Ti content.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Timescale
The sources in this record give no absolute age or growth duration for melanite or andradite.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy · G&G Summer 2023 · GIA Garnet Description
Related base materials
- andradite: Melanite is the black (titanium-bearing) variety of andradite; its parent material is andradite
Supporting findings
Skarns derived from impure limestones or calcic igneous rocks that underwent contact metamorphism are one host for andradite; others are chlorite schists and serpentinites, and alkalic igneous rocks, in which the mineral is usually titaniferous.
Evidence grade BScope: Describes the occurrence of andradite (the parent); melanite is its black (Ti-bearing) variety.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Andradite's green variety demantoid and other andradite can form in two distinct geological environments (veins in serpentinized ultramafic rocks, or skarns), reflecting the diversity of andradite genesis.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies to andradite's diverse genesis; this record does not equate demantoid's origin with black andradite.
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Europe
- Frascati, Rome, Lazio, ItalyEarliest reference in the Mindat list (1810)
Sources Mindat: Melanite
- Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples, Campania, Italy
Sources Mindat: Melanite
- Kaiserstuhl, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Sources Mindat: Melanite
North America
- Magnet Cove, Arkansas, United States
Sources Mindat: Melanite
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
Andradite's colour can be grayish black to black and is often sectored, providing a mineralogical basis for the black appearance of 'black andradite'.
Evidence grade BScope: Describes the colour range and zoning; does not claim the black is due to a single element.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Where the name comes from
Black andradite is a black variety of andradite; this etymology belongs to the parent mineral name andradite — named for the Brazilian mineralogist J.B. d'Andrada e Silva (1763–1838), who described one of its varieties. It is not the origin of the variety name "black andradite".
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
Other research findings
The chemical end-member of andradite is Ca3Fe2(SiO4)3.
Evidence grade BScope: A composition fact only; no genetic implication.
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
Andradite is one of the five commercially important garnet species.
Evidence grade AScope: Defines its standing in the garnet group; not a specific variety.
Sources GIA Garnet Description
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- Melanite is a variety name of andradite, not an independent species; formation rests on the parent andradite.
- None of the authoritative sources consulted gives a direct definition of the variety name 'melanite'.
- 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
- Melanite
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Melanite” · IMA Mineral List 2026-07 “Andradite”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (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
Melanite is Black andradite variety; use "Melanite" for listings, and disclose any known treatments.
Evidence
- GB/T · Table A.1, row 黑榴石 (Melanite)
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Melanite" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
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.
The item-by-item care advice that the GIA Care and Cleaning Guide gives for the whole class, and so for Melanite, is set out in full under care on the Garnet entry.
Care
Melanite — care (heat): Some stones are prone to damage due to thermal shock. Do not expose them to extreme temperature changes.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code e
- 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, Melanite, p.54; §6.2 e (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
HeatMelanite is sensitive to sudden temperature changes, in any treatment state; the source is the 2022 edition of the Blue Book (Official Gemstone Book) of The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO). CleaningThe care and cleaning guide of GIA is given for the whole class and also applies to Melanite; the item-by-item care advice is set out in full in the care part of the Garnet entry.
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| Question | Matching entries |
|---|---|
| Heat and thermal shock | care (heat) |
Durability and wearing
Toughness
Brittle
Treatments and identification leads
One row per treatment, with three standards side by side: how often it occurs and how stable it is (CIBJO), its category in GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (this site's paraphrase) and how the JJA/AGL 2025 table lists it. Each CIBJO value links to its entry under “Testing and market”, where the wording and source are given in full.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating | — | — | Optimization | — | — |
| Filling | — | — | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 | — | — |
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (row for Garnet)
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 Melanite, the name register records "Melanite garnet", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded.
Standard and listing namesThe Chinese formal name for Melanite comes from GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1, and the suggested listing name is likewise Melanite. Trade and mineralogical namesThe trade name/synonym is Melanite garnet, and the mineralogical name is Black andradite variety. Names in four languagesNames are given in four languages: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Melanite) and Japanese (a katakana transliteration and a kanji name); for Japan's GSJ formal name, the entry's own Japanese name is the same pair, and Japan's GSJ wording for it is not yet verified by this site. Institution usageOn authority wording, this site has recorded only CIBJO's wording, Melanite, from the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024; the FTC text on file has no wording for the name Melanite, which has been checked; GIA and Gem-A wording is unchecked. For bodies without a recorded wording, the entry's own English name is listed, 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 (1) | ||||
| Melanite garnetEnglish | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- メラナイト／黒柘榴石 (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Chinese formal name
- 黑榴石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Black andradite variety
- Trade names and synonyms
- Melanite garnet (market name)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 黑榴石
- 繁體中文
- 黑榴石
- English
- Melanite
- 日本語
- メラナイト／黒柘榴石
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Garnet-group minerals and gem varieties
- Identity tier
- Mineral / gemstone variety
- Mineral chemical class
- Silicates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
This site applies the “Garnet” row of GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1 to Melanite: heating is listed as optimization, and the category of filling is defined by grade. The notes to Table B.1 and the grade definitions are on this site's Gem treatments page, and the full row, with the effect column, is on the Garnet page.
GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1
Under the “Garnet” row of Table B.1: Heating Optimization; Filling Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Garnet 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.
What it is and how it's identified
The composition (phase) of Melanite is registered as andradite (garnet group). Registered from the clause for garnet as a whole mineral group: the structure is crystalline, cubic, with a habit of rhombic dodecahedra or trapezohedra and combinations of the two; Mohs hardness is 7–8; cleavage is none; density is 3.5–4.3 g/cm³, taking the overall value; optical character is isotropic, often with anomalous extinction; birefringence is none; in the untreated state, pleochroism is none and lustre is vitreous to subadamantine. The density of Melanite is registered as 3.81–3.87 g/cm³, from the clause value of 3.84 with a tolerance of ±0.03, from which the range is derived; refractive index is 1.855–1.895, from the clause value of 1.875 with a tolerance of ±0.020, from which the range is derived. The UV-visible spectrum shows a strong absorption band at 505nm and weak bands at 576nm and 527nm. In the untreated state, the body colour is grey to black and black.
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 garnet (the whole mineral group), so they are not repeated on the Melanite page; see the material facts on the Garnet entry.
Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Melanite (how to read class-level values).
Definition
Melanite — composition (phase): andradite (garnet group)
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Melanite — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — structure (crystal system): cubic
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — structure (crystal habit): rhombic dodecahedra, tetragonal trisoctahedra, or crystals combining the two forms.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Durability
Melanite — Mohs hardness: 7–8
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
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Melanite — cleavage: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Physical properties
Melanite — density: 3.5–4.3 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
- General note
- the clause has finer ranges
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Melanite — density: 3.81–3.87 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 3.84, with a stated tolerance of ±0.03. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 Density · Melanite (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Optical
Melanite — optic character: isotropic, commonly with anomalous extinction
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — refractive index: 1.855–1.895
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.875, with a stated tolerance of ±0.020. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 Refractive index · Melanite (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — birefringence: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Melanite — pleochroism: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — spectrum (UV-visible): 505 nm strong absorption band; 576 nm weak absorption band; 527 nm weak absorption band.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 UV-visible spectrum (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — optical effect (asterism): seen; rare; generally a four-pointed star; occasionally a six-rayed star (almandine).
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — optical effect (colour change): seen
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
body colour2 sources compared
Melanite — body colour: grey to black
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 Hematite, Howlite, Charoite and other variety clauses also name grey or a greyish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 Colour · Melanite (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Melanite — body colour: Black.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Magnetite, Black Tourmaline, Jet and other entries also name black or a blackish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
How the sources relate
- GB/T 16553—2017 and CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Both give black; GB/T 16553—2017 starts the range at grey (grey to black).
- CIBJO definitions
- asterism, colour change
Quality factors
Melanite — quality factor (lustre): vitreous to subadamantine
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (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): 1.875 / 3.9; Closest values: 1Demantoid 1.89 / 3.84, 2Uvarovite 1.85 / 3.9, 3Garnet 1.825 / 3.9, 4Spessartine 1.802 / 3.9, 5Almandine 1.79 / 3.9
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
For identification, the CIBJO laboratory protocol places Melanite under the "Garnet" entry; for identification see that section of the Garnet entry, and the list of required methods is on the laboratory testing page. The CIBJO Gemstone Book registers that there is no synthetic Melanite on the market.
The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Melanite under “Garnet” (§6.1.38): see identification on the Garnet entry; the required tests are listed on the CIBJO laboratory protocol table for Garnet.
How far testing can go
Melanite — 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
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Melanite has a direct definition in the Melanite entry of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024, under the term Melanite, described as the black, titanium-bearing variety of andradite. The cross-check shows it is defined directly by CIBJO and also appears in the GB/T annex.
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| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melanite | 7.2.1.146 | Black, titanium-bearing variety of andradite | Defined directly by CIBJO; also present in the GB/T annex. |
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 Garnet 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 (Melanite) is marked.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Garnet-group minerals and gem varieties | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material) | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Melanite 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.