Highly irradiated gemstones have been found in circulation by the hundreds in Asian markets. The radiation in some of the stones is more than 50 times the US safety limit. Medical reports indicate that wearing the jewelery can cause health problems, including cancer.

    The stones in question have been exposed to neutrons in a nuclear reactor in order to change their color and to make them more valuable. Color changes by irradiating the stones is legal, but they must be stored for two years or so prior to release to let the radioactivity decrease.

    The source of the gemstones is still officially unknown, but suspected to be Indonesia. It is also believed that low quality stones from India have been exported to Indonesia for irradiation. Other countries such as the Netherlands also irradiate gemstones, and laboratories in Brazil and China allowed the release of Blue Topaz stones in the 1980's that were well above international legal radiation limits.

    The most commonly irradiated stones are: Cat's Eye, Topaz (naturally colorless), Aquamarine, Beryl (any), diamonds, tourmaline, quartz, sapphire, scapolite, and pearls, as well as any Zircons that may have been stored in close proximity to them. Aquamarine and Beryl are slow to 'cool' and may remain 'hot' as long as 100 years.

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