gemstone
Citrine
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Yellow to golden-orange; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Yellow to golden-orange
- Luster
- Vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Yellow to golden-orange; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in igneous or metamorphic rocks, particularly pegmatites and hydrothermal veins. Often produced by heat-treating amethyst or smoky quartz to alter iron oxidation states.
Uses & applications
Primarily used in jewelry as a gemstone, and popular in crystal healing and mineral collections.
Geological facts
Citrine is known as the 'Success Stone' or 'Merchant's Stone.' Natural citrine is rare; most commercial citrine is actually heat-treated amethyst, which takes on a brownish-orange hue.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its clarity, quartz-like fracture, and lack of inclusions compared to glass. Found in Brazil, Madagascar, and Russia. Collectors look for natural, non-heat-treated specimens with uniform color.
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