mineral

Yellow Calcite

Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)

Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale; Color: Pale yellow to deep honey; Luster: Vitreous to resinous (waxy appearance); Crystal structure: Trigonal/Rhombohedral; Cleavage: Perfect rhombohedral in three directions; Specific Gravity: 2.71

Hardness: 3 on Mohs scale
Color: Pale yellow to deep honey
Luster: Vitreous to resinous (waxy appearance)

Identified January 2, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through sedimentary precipitation in marine environments, hydrothermal veins, or as a constituent of metamorphic marble. It occurs globally in limestone and marble deposits varying from millions to billions of years old.

Uses & applications

Used in the chemical industry as a flux, as a component of cement and mortar in construction, as an optical mineral for prisms, and widely as a decorative stone or metaphysical collecting specimen.

Geological facts

Calcite exhibits double refraction (birefringence); if you look through a clear piece, objects underneath appear doubled. It is the primary mineral in the shells of marine organisms and the stalactites found in caves.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its characteristic 3-way rhombohedral cleavage and its rapid effervescence (bubbling) when exposed to cold dilute hydrochloric acid. Commonly found in Mexico, Brazil, and the USA (Illinois, Tennessee).