Mineraloid

Amber / Copal

Fossilized Tree Resin (Succinate)

Hardness: 2.0-2.5 on Mohs scale; Color: Honey-yellow to brownish-orange; Luster: Resinous; Crystal Structure: Amorphous; Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: 1.05-1.10 (very light/buoyant).

Hardness: 2
Color: Honey-yellow to brownish-orange
Luster: Resinous

Identified April 7, 2026More mineraloid →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 2.0-2.5 on Mohs scale; Color: Honey-yellow to brownish-orange; Luster: Resinous; Crystal Structure: Amorphous; Cleavage: None; Specific Gravity: 1.05-1.10 (very light/buoyant).

Formation & geological history

Formed from the fossilized resin of ancient coniferous and broad-leaf trees. Over millions of years, the resin undergoes polymerization through heat and pressure. Copal is the younger, sub-fossilized stage of amber (thousands to small millions of years old).

Uses & applications

Used primarily in jewelry (beads, pendants), as a source of early medicine, in traditional incense, and highly valued by scientists for containing perfectly preserved biological inclusions like insects.

Geological facts

Amber is organic, not a true mineral. It can preserve DNA and delicate structures of organisms up to 100 million years old. It has a unique property where it generates static electricity when rubbed with a cloth.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its light weight; it will float in heavily salted water (1 part salt to 2 parts water). To distinguish from plastic, a hot needle test will produce a pleasant pine/resin smell. Often found in sedimentary coastal deposits.