gemstone
Carnelian (Tumbled Pebble)
Quartz (Variety: Carnelian, SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness: 7 on the Mohs scale, Color: Orange to reddish-brown, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal (Microcrystalline quartz/chalcedony), Cleavage: None, Specific Gravity: 2.60-2.65
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale, Color: Orange to reddish-brown, Luster: Vitreous to waxy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal (Microcrystalline quartz/chalcedony), Cleavage: None, Specific Gravity: 2.60-2.65
Formation & geological history
Forms in low-temperature hydrothermal environments, volcanic cavities, and sedimentary rocks as silica-rich groundwater deposits microcrystalline quartz, colored by iron oxide impurities.
Uses & applications
Used widely in jewelry, talisman crafting, lapidary arts, and as a popular collector specimen.
Geological facts
Carnelian has been prized since ancient times, notably used in ancient Egypt for signet rings and amulets to guide the dead into the afterlife, and by Roman soldiers who carved them into intaglios.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its translucent orange-to-red hue and conchoidal fracture, commonly found in riverbeds, beaches, and gravel deposits worldwide.
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