mineral

Citrine

Citrine (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pale yellow to golden honey; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (Hexagonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale)
Color: Pale yellow to golden honey
Luster: Vitreous

Identified June 13, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Pale yellow to golden honey; Luster: Vitreous; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (Hexagonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed in pegmatites, volcanic rocks, and hydrothermal veins. Natural citrine is rare and results from traces of iron in quartz. Most commercial citrine is heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz.

Uses & applications

Widely used for jewelry (faceted stones, beads), as a decorative gemstone, and is highly valued by mineral collectors and practitioners of crystal healing.

Geological facts

Citrine is known as the 'Success Stone' or 'Merchant's Stone.' Natural citrine is pale yellow and lacks the reddish tint of heat-treated amethyst, which usually displays a bright orange-burnt color.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its 7 hardness (scratches glass but not steel file), lack of cleavage, and yellow transparency. Found in Brazil, Madagascar, and the Ural Mountains of Russia.