Natural crystals possess unique geologic paragenesis. While certain historic thermal treatments are recognized in global trade, undisclosed chemical impregnations and color manipulations distort authentic asset value. Under ICIA Bylaws, every enhancement must be declared prior to sale.
To eliminate misleading trade labels and deceptive sales terminology, ICIA mandates five universal treatment classifications across all physical certificates, digital twins, and retail price tags.
Technical diagnostic baselines and commercial disclosure rules enforced across all accredited OA-LAB facilities.
| CODE | CLASSIFICATION | DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA & TESTING PROTOCOL | GRADING ELIGIBILITY |
|---|---|---|---|
| [ NT ] | Natural Untreated 100% Earth-Formed |
Micro-FTIR verifies flat baseline at 2800–3200 cm⁻¹; Raman verifies natural quartz twinning and un-dissolved solid mineral inclusions. | Tier 1 to Tier 4 Eligible |
| [ H ] | Heat Treated Thermal Conversion |
Thermal alteration of iron color centers (e.g. heated amethyst to citrine). Microscopic inspection confirms discoidal heat halos around inclusions. | Tier 2 to Tier 4 (Disclosed) |
| [ I ] | Irradiated Radiation Induced |
Artificial gamma or electron-beam exposure creating color centers. Mandatory radiometric clearance verification ensuring zero ionizing radiation. | Tier 3 to Tier 4 (Disclosed) |
| [ RC ] | Resin Filled Polymer Infiltration |
Micro-FTIR detects distinct aliphatic/aromatic C-H peaks (3054, 2965, 2928 cm⁻¹). Fissure flash effects under darkfield illumination. | Capped at Tier 3 (Circuit Breaker) |
| [ C/D ] | Coated / Dyed Artificial Pigmentation |
Dye concentration in fractures; anomalous absorption bands under UV-Vis spectrophotometry; chemical solvent surface swab testing. | Tier 4 Only (Disqualified Natural) |
Detailed diagnostic criteria for detecting concealed polymer resins and automatic grade capping under CCGS and RCGS standards.
Vacuum-infiltrated epoxy and optomechanical acrylic adhesives exhibit intense hydrocarbon vibrational bands between 2800 and 3200 cm⁻¹. An unenhanced quartz specimen presents an entirely flat transmission baseline across this spectral corridor.
When [RC] resin filling is confirmed by an accredited OA-LAB:
CABCS accredited merchants must prominently feature standard treatment disclosure codes across physical and digital sales channels.
All showroom tags and exhibition display stands must print the statutory code bracket immediately adjacent to the mineral name (e.g., “Natural Citrine [H]” or “Golden Rutilated Quartz [NT]”).
Product titles across websites and live-streaming auctions must clearly state the treatment code in the first 30 characters. Omitting codes in digital media constitutes deliberate deceptive marketing.
Sales receipts and formal commercial invoices must mirror the ICIA certificate ID and exact treatment code. Invoices lacking proper codes are ineligible for merchant protection under ADRPS arbitration.
Scan your certificate QR code to inspect raw Micro-FTIR transmission curves and Raman spectral plots, confirming specimen authenticity in real time.