mineraloid

Amber

Fossilized Tree Resin (Succinite)

Hardness: 2.0-2.5 on the Mohs scale. Color: Honey-yellow, orange, brown, or golden yellow. Luster: Resin-like to vitreous. Crystal Structure: Amorphous (non-crystalline mineraloid). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 1.05-1.10 (very light, floats in saturated saltwater).

Hardness: 2
Color: Honey-yellow, orange, brown, or golden yellow
Luster: Resin-like to vitreous

Identified July 26, 2026More mineraloid →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from ancient conifer and angiosperm tree resin that hardened through polymerization over millions of years. Commonly associated with Eocene to Cretaceous forest ecosystems, often washed into coastal deposits like the Baltic region.

Uses & applications

Widely used in jewelry, lapidary arts, decorative carvings, folk medicine, and scientific study (fossilized inclusions).

Geological facts

Northern Norway (Alta area around ~70 N) is rich in Baltic drift material and sub-arctic glacial drift where washed-up or beach-found Baltic amber specimens are historically documented. Amber can float in dense ocean water, allowing it to travel vast distances along northern European coasts.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its surprisingly lightweight feel, warm touch, ability to float in strong saltwater, and static charge when rubbed with a wool cloth. Common on northern beaches and coastal gravels.