Carbonate minerals
Minerals whose principal anionic group is carbonate; this does not imply the material is durable enough for everyday wear.
What this family is
Chemistry is nearly all these minerals share: malachite, azurite, rhodochrosite, smithsonite, magnesite, dolomite, calcite and aragonite are grouped by the carbonate anion and little else, and calcite has low hardness and is sensitive to acids. Iceland spar is transparent calcite, and its name says nothing about origin, rhodochrosite circulates as hongwenshi, and magnesite is commonly dyed to imitate turquoise or coral.
Scope of this family
Minerals whose principal anionic group is carbonate; this does not imply the material is durable enough for everyday wear.
Member entries (10)
Treatments recorded on member entries
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Member entries | Disclosure requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Filled / Fracture-filled | Calcite, Iceland Spar, Malachite, Rhodochrosite | Name the filler (resin, oil, polymer, glass or lead glass) and bear in mind that fillings can be unstable and may deteriorate or change colour over time. LMHC Information Sheet #3 treats corundum with glass in two ways: glass in fissures or cavities is still reported on natural corundum as a filling, and only a badly fractured single piece infused throughout, or small fragments bound together with glass, is reported as a manufactured product. |
| Irradiated | Calcite, Iceland Spar | Must be disclosed. Stability under irradiation varies by material: irradiated blue topaz keeps a stable colour and irradiated smoky quartz or coloured diamond can, but in some materials the irradiated colour fades in light or heat; colour stability must be pointed out. |
| Dyed | Calcite, Iceland Spar | Must be disclosed. Dye may fade, bleed or dissolve in solvents (alcohol, acetone), and dyed material must not be labelled "natural colour"; dyed jadeite counts as B/C jade and must be conspicuously labelled; dyed agate and chalcedony are extremely common. |
| Waxed | Azurite | Must be disclosed. CIBJO's care annex counts wax among the treatments that are not permanent, so the matching care must also be passed on to the buyer: keep it away from solvents, household chemicals and heat. |
Care codes on member entries
Member entries cite these CIBJO special-care codes: special-care code a, special-care code b, special-care code c, special-care code h, special-care code j, special-care code k. General gem care gives the full wording of every code.
Where members are recorded
Some member entries record the localities where their materials are found; Recorded localities shows them on a sketch map and lists them by continent.
Names
- 简体中文
- 碳酸盐矿物
- 繁體中文
- 碳酸鹽礦物
- English
- Carbonate minerals
- 日本語
- 炭酸塩鉱物
Authority source
- Authority source
- Review status
- Reviewed against CIBJO, GB/T and IMA boundaries.
Distribution across the other axes
All 10 members share these values:
- Origin class
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Mineral chemical class
- Carbonates
Identity level
Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown (9)
- Natural; treatment common (require certificate to distinguish) (1)