Moissanite

A near-colourless moissanite has been heat-treated, causing a brownish colour across all the facets. Cleaning and hand-polishing the samples, using cerium oxide on leather, restored the reflectivity to 98% of the non-treated material. If heating forms part of any testing experiment on a suspected moissanite, the gemmologist should remember that surface oxidation could occur and keep the level of heating to a minimum. The colour of the surface might undergo alteration. - Michael O�Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006), p. 89 The method of synthesis is probably a modified form of the flux-melt process. - Gemstones, Arthur Thomas, 2009, p 207 9 to 9.5Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references 3.17 to 3.24Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references NoneArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) More from other references ConchoidalAnthony et al, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) May turn yellowish if heated (250 watt bulb)Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) 2.648 to 2.691Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references Uniaxial/+Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references 0.043Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) DoublingMore from other references NilArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) More from other references 0.104Arthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) Colourless, greenish, yellowishUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references TransparentUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references AdamantineArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) More from other references Usually dark orange or light blueHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) HexagonalHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references TabularArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) More from other references A rare mineral: formed in an iron meteorite; as inclusions in diamond; in diamondiferous kimberlites and lamproites, and in eclogite; in volcanic breccias and rhyolite; in alluvium.Anthony et al, Handbook of Mineralogy (2001) Inclusions: white needles - Gemmological Tables, Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, 2004, p 32 Moissanite information at mindat.org