Introduction: Gem or Scam?

Many gemstones, minerals and rocks are sold under a variety of commercial and fancy names. There is also a lot of treated or entirely man-made material on the market for which misleading names are used. Many of these fancy names or trademarks may give an idea of exclusivity, but their main purpose is to sell stones or imitations better. Meanwhile, it has become quite a chaos when it comes to naming gemstones and minerals. Moreover, it is often unclear exactly what kind of stone it is geologically. And is it Scammite or not?

When do we call something Scammite?

In 2018, I introduced the term “Scammite” (Belazeriet in Dutch), a play on words of “to scam” with the ending -ite as with many mineral names, think labradorite for example. A cynical term that I have since used for stones that are entirely man-made or treated and/or have a misleading name AND about which incomplete or incorrect information is given. Especially the latter makes it Scammite for me, because you can get the feeling that you have been scammed if you hear afterwards that it turns out not to be what it was sold for. The term Belazeriet is by now recognisable to many in the Dutch-speaking world, and for me it also describes exactly what I mean by it. Hopefully that will also be the case with Scammite.

There are different ways of classifying or describing “fake and fraud” gemstones and minerals. I distinguish the following three forms of Scammite:

1. 1. Fully man-made stones (artificial products)

For this, the designations man-made, lab-grown, synthetic or imitation are also used. Examples include lab-grown quartz clusters from China, blue chalcanthite crystals from a laboratory in Poland (bottom left) or imitation clay malachite (bottom right).

2. Stones with a natural base, but the appearance is treated

This includes common treatments such as dyeing, coating, impregnation, heating, irradiation and mechanical processing. Examples include dyed agates, the various minerals with an “aura” coating (bottom left) and heat-treated amethyst sold as citrine (bottom right) but also cleaved fluorite octahedrons presented as natural crystals.

3. Misleading names

These include all kinds of commercial names or trademarks and fantasy names, mostly introduced from esoteric or spiritual backgrounds. For example, Bumblebee jasper (bottom left), Azeztulite™, Auralite 23® (bottom right) and Silver Eye Serpentine.

Examples of all forms are included in the Gem or Scam Library, but the largest share concerns misleading names. This is because these names do not reflect what you are actually buying or selling. When you then look for information about such a stone, you don’t always find those names in mineral books or scientific literature. Often only in esoteric books or on sellers’ websites, which mainly focus on spiritual properties. It is important to use a correct name for a stone for several reasons, which you can read on the page about naming gemstones and minerals. You can read more about the effects of Scammite on this page.

Growing popularity and increasing disinformation

Recent years we have seen a huge increase in sales of gemstones and minerals, especially also for esoteric and spiritual purposes. This growing popularity also leads to an increase of cheaper lookalikes and treated or man-made stones on the market and a huge chaos in naming. Processing and treating gemstones and minerals has been done since ancient times, but is increasing hand over fist, and moreover, the techniques are getting better and better. As an enthusiast, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish whether something is Scammite or not.

Especially online, many sales are made, sometimes by sellers who do not know the true nature of the stones on offer. Unfortunately, this also creates an abundance of disinformation, with many texts with inaccuracies about gemstones and minerals copied blindly from each other or from some well-known source. Sometimes even with misleading intentions to generate more sales. But I must also say that the sheer volume of information available sometimes makes it difficult for enthusiasts to critically assess whether the information in a book, on social media or on a website is correct, especially when you are just starting to collect. As a result, most buyers trust what the seller tells them. The need for reliable knowledge and the ability to do your own research on the authenticity of stones is therefore becoming increasingly crucial. This is also where the responsibility and essential role of the seller comes in. Stapel van Stenen contributes to this with the online Gem or Scam Library, a wide range of courses (Dutch) a community for enthusiasts and the seller community (Dutch), to provide reliable knowledge and practical solutions for enthusiasts and sellers.

From book to online library

In May 2022, I published my book ‘Belazeriet of niet?’ (Gem or Scam?) in Dutch, in which I described more than 550 commercial and fantasy names, trademarks and synonyms for gemstones, minerals and rocks. Since then, many enthusiasts, collectors and sellers of stones have bought the book and it is used daily. Even after the physical book sold out, there remains a need for up-to-date reliable and honest information about stones. Therefore, the information from my book has now been converted into the online Gem or Scam Library. That way, the extensive collection of names and descriptions can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Moreover, many photos and videos have been added and the information is regularly supplemented and updated.

For each name, the online library provides information on exactly what kind of stone it is, its scientific nomenclature and whether it may be non-natural material. It is mainly intended to support enthusiasts and sellers in informed buying and selling of gemstones and minerals. I also hope it will contribute to a more uniform naming system in the world of minerals and gems.

Indeed, the best protection against Scammite is to be well informed yourself! So: Caveat emptor; buyer, beware!. Ask yourself the following questions: Who are you buying your minerals from? Do they know what they are talking about? Are you doing your own research?

Besides “duty to investigate” by the buyer, the seller also has a “duty to inform” about what he or she is selling. The moment you sell it, you are responsible for providing the right information (also legally). Therefore, I hope sellers will also start using the information from the library to properly inform their customers. Preferably use the scientific names of the minerals or rocks, possibly alongside commercial or fancy names. It is up to the buyer whether he buys a particular stone because he likes it or wants to use it for an esoteric application, but please use the honest information.

And when in doubt: get help! Take a course, join a (geological) society or seek advice from an expert. You can also join the free Stapel van Stenen enthusiast community or subscribe to the seller community.

Rolf Egberink

Maastricht, Netherlands, May 2025

Also listen to the two podcast episodes on Scammite (in Dutch)!