mineral

Yellow Quartz (Citrine Quartz Pebble)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

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

Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale
Color: Pale yellow to honey gold
Luster: Vitreous (glassy)

Identified June 12, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

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

Formation & geological history

Forms in igneous rocks like granite or in hydrothermal veins. Naturally occurring yellow quartz is often formed by trace amounts of iron or heat-treated amethyst. This specimen is a water-worn river pebble.

Uses & applications

Used primarily in jewelry (as a gemstone), crystal healing practices, and as decorative river stones for landscaping.

Geological facts

Citrine is known as the 'Success Stone' or 'Merchant's Stone' in folklore. Natural citrine is actually quite rare; most yellow quartz on the market is heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its hardness (it should scratch glass) and lack of cleavage. Found globally, especially in Brazil, Madagascar, and riverbeds in the United States and Russia.

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Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Schist

Metamorphic

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Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Biotite Schist

Biotite-rich Schist [K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(F,OH)2]

metamorphic