Transparent spinel ceramics, as they can be used, for example, as protective ceramics, and to a method for the production thereof.Transparent spinel ceramics which preferably contain no visible defects and which have an in-line transmission of more than 82% in wavelength ranges of infrared light, measured between 1000 nm and 2500 nm, at sample thicknesses≧3 mm.Spinel ceramics transparent in wavelength ranges of infrared light which are composed of sintered magnesium aluminum spinel having an average structural grain size of ≦10 μm and having maximally 0.5 mass % overall of homogeneously distributed additives of calcium and/or strontium and/or barium which are present in a concentration, expressed respectively as an oxide, of 0.005 to