On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral species · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Taaffeite
A traditional gem name listed in GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1; under modern classification it corresponds to taaffeite-group minerals, and the species must be determined by testing. 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 Taaffeite 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 TaaffeiteHow far lab testing can go and whether a synthetic exists
- Caring for and wearing TaaffeiteCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them
- Hardness, density and refractive index of TaaffeiteEach value with its source and check date
- Taaffeite 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 TaaffeiteThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define TaaffeiteWhich 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
In the gem trade, taaffeite usually denotes a beryllium-, magnesium-, and aluminium-bearing oxide gem material. Mineralogically, however, 'taaffeite' is a group/series-level name corresponding to several mineral species (distinguished by Mg/Fe and stacking sequence), so the name alone does not uniquely fix a single species; species-level assignment requires advanced laboratory testing. Within the source used here, GIA reports a chromium-bearing purplish red taaffeite from Sri Lanka hosting a minute black crystal (most likely thorianite or uraninite); alpha emissions from such radioactive inclusions damage the host, producing a two-tiered concentric halo and locally changing the taaffeite's color, transparency, and refractive index.
Scope: Applies to the identity boundary of taaffeite as a gem name at the group/series level, and to the origin of radiation haloes in Sri Lankan samples recorded by GIA; does not include quantitative compositional data for specific mineral species.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
Where it forms
Gem-quality chromium-bearing taaffeite occurrences (e.g. Sri Lanka)
Sources G&G Spring 2016
Micro-environment of radioactive thorianite/uraninite inclusions within the host taaffeite
Sources G&G Spring 2016
How it forms, step by step
Taaffeite crystallizes as a beryllium-magnesium-aluminium oxide in specific geological settings and may contain minor chromium.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
During growth, minute black crystals (most likely thorianite or uraninite) are trapped as inclusions.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
Those radioactive inclusions emit massive alpha particles that cause radiation damage in the host crystal.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
The radiation damage forms a two-tiered concentric halo around the inclusion and locally changes the taaffeite's color, transparency, and refractive index.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
Link to appearance
The taaffeite described by GIA is chromium-bearing and purplish red; alpha radiation from its radioactive inclusions produces a two-tiered concentric halo and local changes in refractive index and transparency, giving rise to strain features.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
Timescale
The source does not state an absolute geological timescale for taaffeite formation.
Sources G&G Spring 2016 · CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Africa
- Tunduru, TanzaniaSamples reported
Sources Gems & Gemology Spring 2000
- Sahatany Pegmatite Field, Mt Ibity area, Madagascar
Sources Mindat: Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S
Asia
- Sri LankaEarly known faceted samples all came from Sri Lanka; hundreds more identified later
Sources Gems & Gemology Spring 2000
- Niriella gem gravels, Ratnapura, Sri LankaType locality of magnesiotaaffeite-2N'2S
Sources Mindat: Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S
- MyanmarGem-quality material reported
Sources Gems & Gemology Spring 2000 · Mindat: Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S
Europe
- Pitkyaranta mining district, Karelia, Russia
Sources Mindat: Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S
North America
- Irish Creek, Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States
Sources Mindat: Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S
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 Sri Lankan taaffeite reported by GIA is a chromium-bearing purplish red gem material.
Evidence grade AScope: For that sample; color may differ in other localities or samples.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
A radiation-induced two-tiered halo can form in taaffeite, surrounding a minute black crystal.
Evidence grade AScope: A localized inclusion phenomenon, not the whole gem.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
Other research findings
Alpha emission of high intensity from radioactive inclusions can fracture the host mineral by inducing stress.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes a radiation-damage mechanism; not all taaffeite contains such inclusions.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
During the formative period of radioactivity research, investigators including G.H. Henderson gave these inclusions the name pleochroic halos.
Evidence grade AScope: Scientific history; unrelated to taaffeite genesis.
Sources G&G Spring 2016
In the CIBJO standard, Taaffeite is listed as a single mineral species name and marked no treatment (always).
Evidence grade AScope: CIBJO registers it as a single species; mineralogically taaffeite is a group/series name, and species assignment requires laboratory testing.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
Limits of this research
- Research status: Only partial material-specific findings found; gaps are stated as gaps
- Mineralogically, taaffeite is a group/series-level name; the cited sources do not provide compositional data distinguishing individual species (e.g. by Mg/Fe and stacking sequence).
- The GIA source is a short inclusion-observation note and gives neither the formation process nor absolute ages for taaffeite.
- The black inclusion in the cited Sri Lankan sample could not be non-destructively identified due to its minute size; the source only suggests thorianite or uraninite.
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
- Taaffeite
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Taaffeite” · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.233 “Taaffeite”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
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
"Taaffeite" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
Evidence
- GB/T · Table A.1, row 塔菲石 (Taaffeite)
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Taaffeite" 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
- Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
- Suggested listing name
- Taaffeite
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
Taaffeite — 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, Taaffeite, p.78; §6.2 j (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
CleaningCare for Taaffeite: the Taaffeite row of Annex C of the CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (2022) states that it must not be cleaned ultrasonically, with the conclusion marked for any treatment state. For the question of whether it can be cleaned ultrasonically, the matching entry likewise concludes that it must not be. General careGeneral care that applies to all gems, and the full table of special care codes cited by each entry, are in the general care paragraph on the materials index page.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Question | Matching entries |
|---|---|
| Can it go in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner? | care (cleaning) |
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Standard and listing namesThe GB/T 16552—2017 formal name for Taaffeite is the Chinese name for taaffeite, taken from Table A.1 of that standard, and the suggested listing name is Taaffeite. Names in four languagesThe four-language names are the Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Japanese names together with the English name Taaffeite; the Japanese name is the entry's own Japanese name, and GSJ (Japan) usage for it is not yet verified by this site. Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is described as taaffeite-group gem material, with the exact species to be established by identification. Institution usageOn authority wording, CIBJO's Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 has Taaffeite on record; the FTC text has no wording for this name (checked); GIA and Gem-A are unchecked.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- ターフェアイト (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Chinese formal name
- 塔菲石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Taaffeite-group gem material; exact species requires identification
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 塔菲石
- 繁體中文
- 塔菲石
- English
- Taaffeite
- 日本語
- ターフェアイト
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Oxide minerals
- Identity tier
- Mineral species
- Mineral chemical class
- Oxides / hydroxides
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
What it is and how it's identified
Registered material facts for Taaffeite: composition MgBeAl4O8, which may contain elements such as Ca, Fe, Mn and Cr; crystalline and hexagonal, with a crystal habit of hexagonal bipyramids or hexagonal barrels; Mohs hardness 8–9, no cleavage; density 3.6–3.62 g/cm³, the cited clause giving 3.61 with an allowed deviation of ±0.01, from which the limits are derived; optically anisotropic, uniaxial and negative, with a refractive index of 1.717–1.725, the cited clause giving 1.719–1.723 with an allowed deviation of ±0.002, from which the limits are derived; birefringence 0.004–0.005. Transparency is transparent. In untreated taaffeite, pleochroism varies with colour, fluorescence is none to weak green, magnification shows gas-liquid inclusions and mineral inclusions, and the lustre is vitreous. The UV-Vis spectrum is not diagnostic but may show a weak absorption band at 458 nm; the mid-infrared region shows the characteristic infrared absorption bands of taaffeite.
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”.
Definition
Taaffeite — nomenclature status: IMA status Rn: renamed (a mineral already known, given a new name in the IMA era).
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Taaffeite — composition (chemistry): MgBeAl4O8, elements such as Ca,Fe Mn and Cr may be contained.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Structure
Taaffeite — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — structure (crystal system): hexagonal
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — structure (crystal habit): hexagonal bipyramids and hexagonal barrels
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Durability
Taaffeite — Mohs hardness: 8–9
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
- General note
- hardness only, not durability
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — cleavage: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Physical properties
Taaffeite — density: 3.6–3.62 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 3.61, with a stated tolerance of ±0.01. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Optical
Taaffeite — optic character: uniaxial, optically negative (anisotropic)
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — refractive index: 1.717–1.725
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.719–1.723, with a stated tolerance of ±0.002. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — birefringence: 0.004–0.005
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — transparency: transparent.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Taaffeite — pleochroism: depends on the body color
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — fluorescence (overall): none to weak, green
GB/T 16553—2017
UV fluorescencegreennone–weakDots are illustrative colours built from the colour names, not measured values
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — spectrum (UV-visible): non-characteristic; may have 458 nm weak absorption band.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — spectrum (infrared): Mid-IR absorption follows the pattern typical of taaffeite
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Taaffeite — magnification: gas-liquid inclusions, mineral inclusions
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
body colour2 sources compared
Taaffeite — body colour: pink to red, blue, purple, purple-red, brown, green, colorless, etc.
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 Apatite, Spinel, Topaz and other variety clauses also name pink.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Taaffeite — body colour: Pink to red, blue, violet, purple, brown, colourless.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Dumortierite, Apatite, Fluorite and other entries also name pink or a pinkish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
How the sources relate
- GB/T 16553—2017 and CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Both list pink to red, blue, purple, brown and colourless. GB/T 16553—2017 also lists purplish red and green; the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book also lists violet.
Quality factors
Taaffeite — quality factor (lustre): vitreous
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.33 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.721 / 3.61; Closest values: 1Rhodochrosite 1.707 / 3.58, 2Alexandrite 1.749 / 3.73, 3Sinhalite 1.688 / 3.48, 4Vesuvianite / Idocrase 1.711 / 3.38, 5Epidote 1.737 / 3.38
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
Identification and market records for Taaffeite: the laboratory protocol in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 requires checks focused on the points that Taaffeite is a synonym of Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S and Musgravite a synonym of Magnesiotaaffeite-6N’3S; which tests the CIBJO laboratory protocol requires for Taaffeite, and what each method means, are in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page. According to the CIBJO Official Gemstone Book (2022), no synthetic counterpart of Taaffeite is available on the market.
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: §6.1.82.
How far testing can go
Taaffeite — 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
Taaffeite — what the CIBJO laboratory protocol says to watch for: Taaffeite is a synonym of Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S, Musgravite is a synonym of Magnesiotaaffeite- 6N’3S.
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
Taaffeite is listed directly in CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 under the entry name Taaffeite; the summary of the clause-level definition records Taaffeite as mineral species Magnesiotaaffeite-2N’2S with IMA status Rn, with the CIBJO wording quoted in full under Clause-level definitions on this page. The cross-check result is that it is defined directly by CIBJO and also appears in the GB/T annex.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taaffeite | 7.2.1.233 | Taaffeite is a synonym of Magnesiotaaffeite- 2N’2S. Pink to red, blue, violet, purple, brown, colourless, transparent. See also musgravite | 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.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Oxide minerals | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Taaffeite 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.