mineral

Yellow Quartz (Citrine-colored Quartz Pebble)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent yellow to honey-orange; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy when water-worn; Crystal System: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Translucent yellow to honey-orange
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy when water-worn

Identified March 19, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent yellow to honey-orange; Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to waxy when water-worn; Crystal System: Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture).

Formation & geological history

Formed through the crystallization of silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or within igneous pegmatites. This specific specimen appears water-worn (river rock), suggesting it was eroded from its primary source and tumbled in a high-energy aquatic environment over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Used primarily for lapidary work (tumbling, cabochons), metaphysical collecting, and as decorative landscape stone. High-quality natural citrine is used in jewelry, but common yellow quartz pebbles are mostly for hobbyist collecting.

Geological facts

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. While this specimen has a citrine-like color, natural citrine is rare; most yellow quartz found in nature owes its color to iron inclusions or natural radiation during formation.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its ability to scratch glass (hardness 7) and its lack of cleavage planes. It is commonly found in riverbeds, glacial till, and gravel pits across North America and Brazil. Collectors should look for the characteristic 'greasy' or 'glassy' look when wet.

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