Minerals & Crystals Codexery

Topaz

A hard silicate mineral used as a gemstone and abrasive.

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Jewelry and other decorative items are made using topaz as a gemstone.[1]

Key facts and history

The word "topaz" is usually believed to derive from the Greek Τοπάζιος, the ancient name of St. John's Island in the Red Sea.[2][3] Thomas Nicols dedicated two chapters to topaz in a 1652 treatise on minerals and gemstones.[4] Brazil is one of the largest producers of topaz, and some clear crystals from Brazilian pegmatites can weigh hundreds of pounds.[5] According to an English superstition, lunacy could be cured by topaz, while ancient Romans thought it safeguarded travelers from danger.[6]

People in the Middle Ages thought that wearing topaz could raise body heat and help alleviate colds or fevers.[7] The November birthstone is orange topaz, which is also the official state gem of Utah.[8] Texas has designated blue topaz as its state gemstone.[8] Brazil and Russia are two of the most well-known sources for topaz, which is frequently extracted through open-pit or alluvial mining.[9]

What the research sources say

The Geoscience Australia account notes that topaz is a fluoro-silicate of aluminium, usually colorless, but can be white, yellow, grey, blue, orange, brown, green, or pink.[10] The same source states that when chromium replaces aluminium in the crystal structure, the crystal appears pink or red.[10] The Gemological Institute of America reports that the vast majority of blue topaz seen today results from treating colorless topaz with irradiation and heating.[11] The "Topaz Mining" article explains that topaz can be found in many locations worldwide, including Brazil, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and the United States.[12]

The Geoscience Australia account adds that topaz has perfect cleavage, making it fragile despite a hardness of 8, and it is often found in sections rather than whole crystals.[10] The Gemological Institute of America states that topaz is an 8 on the Mohs scale but has poor toughness, requiring care to avoid chipping.[11]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Menzies, "Connoisseur's Choice: Topaz from Granite Pegmatites: Limoeiro Mine, Virgem da Lapa, Araçuaí Pegmatite District, Minas Gerais, Brazil", Rocks & Minerals, 2023-12-08, p. 36–55; "Topaz Value, Price, and Jewelry Information", International Gem Society (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Hurlbut Klein 1985; Suckling, "Ceylon: A General Description of the Island, Historical, Physical, Statistical. Containing the Most Recent Information", Chapman & Hall, 1876, p. 10; "Astrological Magazine", Astrological Magazine, 1967, p. 75 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: A Lapidary or History of Gemstones, University of Cambridge, 1652. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Topaz Guide", Ayana Jewellery (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pettigrew, Thomas Joseph (1844) On Superstitions Connected with the History and Practice of Medicine and Surgery. Philadelphia E. Barrington and G.D. Haswell. p; Webster, "The encyclopedia of superstitions", Llewellyn Worldwide, 2012, p. 256 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Webster 2012, p. 260; Simmons, "The book of stones : who they are & what they teach", Heaven and Earth Pub, 2005, p. 403; "November Birthstone", Gemological Institute of America (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Utah State gem – Topaz", Pioneer.utah.gov, 2010-06-16; "Texas state gem – Blue Topaz. State gemstone cut – Lone Star cut", state.tx.us; "November Birthstone", Gemological Institute of America (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Topaz" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Menzies, "Connoisseur's Choice: Topaz from Granite Pegmatites: Limoeiro Mine, Virgem da Lapa, Araçuaí Pegmatite District, Minas Gerais, Brazil", Rocks & Minerals, 2023-12-08, p. 36–55; "Topaz Mining: Balancing Resource Extraction and Sustainability", www.brilliyond.com (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Australia, "Topaz", Geoscience Australia, 2020-02-07. facts only, no text reused. ga.gov.au
  11. "November Birthstone", Gemological Institute of America. facts only, no text reused. gia.edu
  12. "Topaz Mining: Balancing Resource Extraction and Sustainability", www.brilliyond.com. facts only, no text reused. brilliyond.com

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Topaz (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Topaz · Gemstones

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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