mineral
Quartz with Iron Oxide Staining (Citrine-like Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellow to brownish-orange with whitish quartz patches. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal structure: Hexagonal/trigonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: 2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale yellow to brownish-orange with whitish quartz patches
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellow to brownish-orange with whitish quartz patches. Luster: Vitreous to greasy. Crystal structure: Hexagonal/trigonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: 2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites where silica-rich fluids cooled and crystallized. The yellowish-brown coloration is caused by surface iron oxide (limonite/hematite) staining or trace iron impurities incorporated during growth.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as mineral collector specimens, lapidary material, decorative stones, and in crystal healing practices. Pure quartz is widely used in glass manufacturing and electronics.
Geological facts
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust. Iron-stained quartz specimens are frequently mistaken for natural citrine, though true natural citrine gains its color from atomic level iron impurities rather than surface iron coatings.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its scratch resistance (scratches glass easily, cannot be scratched by a steel blade), glassy luster on fresh surfaces, lack of cleavage, and yellow-brown iron oxide encrustations. Found globally in quartz veins and gravel deposits.
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