mineral
Citrine Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with iron impurities
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Yellow to honey-brown. Luster: Vitreous (glassy). Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Yellow to honey-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous (glassy)
Identified More mineral →
Explore Citrine Quartz in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Yellow to honey-brown. Luster: Vitreous (glassy). Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Forms in igneous rocks like granite or metamorphic rocks. Natural citrine occurs via hydrothermal activity where iron impurities are irradiated or heated by neighboring magma over millions of years. Much commercial citrine is heat-treated amethyst.
Uses & applications
Primarily used as a gemstone in jewelry (rings, pendants) and as a decorative specimen for collectors. In industry, quartz is used in electronics for its piezoelectric properties.
Geological facts
Citrine is known as the 'Success Stone' or 'Merchant's Stone' in folklore. It is the birthstone for November. While common in jewelry, natural (non-heat-treated) citrine is actually quite rare compared to amethyst.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its hardness (it will scratch glass) and its lack of cleavage. Look for a yellow-to-orange hue without the zoned white bands common in calcite. Found globally, with notable deposits in Brazil, Madagascar, and Russia.
More like this
Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Sandstone with Mineral Veining or Crust
Sedimentary Sandstone (mostly SiO2 with Fe2O3 tinting)
sedimentary
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic