Editing Gemstone (section)

===Radiation===
{{Main|Gemstone irradiation}}
The irradiation process is widely practiced in [[jewelry industry]]<ref name="Omi Rela 2021 p1">{{cite book |last1=Omi |first1=Nelson M. |year=2007 |title=Gemstone Dedicated Gamma Irradiator Development: Proceedings of the INAC 2007 International Nuclear Atlantic Conference |url=https://www.ipen.br/biblioteca/2007/inac/11996.pdf |access-date=October 21, 2022 |first2=Paulo R. |last2=Rela |publisher=Associação Brasileira de Energia Nuclear |isbn=978-85-99141-02-1 |archive-date=October 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021175845/https://www.ipen.br/biblioteca/2007/inac/11996.pdf |page=1}}</ref> and enabled the creation of gemstone colors that do not exist or are extremely rare in nature.<ref name="Hurlbut p170">{{cite book |last1=Hurlbut |first1=Cornelius S. |last2=Kammerling |first2=Robert C. |title=Gemology |year=1991 |publisher=[[Wiley-Interscience]] |url=https://batch.libretexts.org/print/Letter/Finished/geo-3164/Full.pdf|archive-date=November 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104150452/https://batch.libretexts.org/print/Letter/Finished/geo-3164/Full.pdf |isbn=0-471-52667-3 |access-date=November 4, 2022 |url-status=live| via=[[LibreTexts]] |page=170}}</ref> However, particularly when done in a [[nuclear reactor]], the processes can make gemstones radioactive. Health risks related to the residual radioactivity of the treated gemstones have led to government regulations in many countries.<ref name="Hurlbut p170"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/irradiated-gemstones.html |title=Backgrounder on Irradiated Gemstones |author=Nuclear Regulatory Commission |publisher=The U.S. [[Nuclear Regulatory Commission]] |date=April 2019 |access-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901040847/http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/irradiated-gemstones.html |url-status=live}} {{USGovernment}}</ref>

Virtually all [[blue topaz]], both the lighter and the darker blue shades such as "London" blue, has been irradiated to change the color from white to blue. Most green quartz (Oro Verde) are also irradiated to achieve the yellow-green color. Diamonds are mainly irradiated to become blue-green or green, although other colors are possible. When light-to-medium-yellow diamonds are treated with gamma rays they may become green; with a high-energy electron beam, blue.<ref name=Rossman_70>{{cite journal|last=Rossman |first=George R. |title=Color in Gems: The New Technologies |url=https://www.gia.edu/doc/Color-In-Gems-The-New-Technologies.pdf |periodical=[[Gems & Gemology]] |volume= 17|issn=0016-626X |issue= 2|date=Summer 1981 |page=70 |publisher=Gemological Institute of America |doi=10.5741/GEMS.17.2.60 |doi-access=free |bibcode=1981GemG...17...60R |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112041127/https://www.gia.edu/doc/Color-In-Gems-The-New-Technologies.pdf |archive-date=November 12, 2022}}</ref>