NRC issues distribution licenses for neutron-irradiated gems
November 09, 2007
New York—
Jewelers of America (JA) has learned that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued distribution licenses for neutron-irradiated gemstones to Ideal Source Quality Assurance in Columbia, Mo., and to HBM Virginia in Warrenton, Va.
The NRC has also informed JA that several other applications are being reviewed and that it is still working to resolve regulatory questions about existing inventories of irradiated gemstones currently on the market.
In addition, the NRC has posted a "Fact Sheet on Irradiated Gemstones" on its Web site,
Nrc.gov, which contains FAQs for jewelers, distributors and consumers.
Over the summer, the NRC informed jewelers that since blue topaz is often irradiated, only licensed companies can import and sell the stones in the U.S. market, and at the time there were no licensees. Subsequently, several jewelry companies, including Stuller and Sterling Jewelers, stopped selling blue topaz over concerns that the gemstones hadn't been tested for radiation before entering the United States.
The NRC's original regulations applied only to blue topaz but it is expected to add other irradiated gems to the list, including treated aquamarine, yellow beryl, morganite and red tourmaline.
For more information, contact JA's Public Affairs Department at (800) 223-0673 or visit its Web site,
Jewelers.org.
Editor's note:: For earlier developments in this story, see
Industry hoping for blue (topaz) Christmas
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