mineral
Citrine Quartz (Heat-Treated Amethyst)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellow to golden honey-orange with a white quartz base. Luster: Vitreous. Crystal System: Trigonal. Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale yellow to golden honey-orange with a white quartz base
- Luster
- Vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellow to golden honey-orange with a white quartz base. Luster: Vitreous. Crystal System: Trigonal. Cleavage: None, exhibits conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites. Most commercial citrine specimens of this color profile are created by heat-treating natural amethyst or smoky quartz at high temperatures (around 450-900°C).
Uses & applications
Widely used in jewelry, lapidary arts, wire-wrapping, and as a popular display specimen for mineral collectors and metaphysical enthusiasts.
Geological facts
Natural citrine is rare and typically features a uniform pale yellow-green color. Specimen exhibiting a stark white base with vivid orange or brownish tips are almost exclusively heat-treated amethyst from Brazil or Uruguay.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its hexagonal prism shape, vitreous luster, and hardness capable of scratching glass. Commonly found in Brazil, Madagascar, Russia, and Zambia.
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