mineral

Tumbled citrine (likely quartz)

Quartz, SiO₂; yellow coloration may be natural citrine or heat-treated amethyst

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7 Mohs; translucent honey-yellow to orange, vitreous/waxy luster, conchoidal fracture, no visible cleavage, and typical specific gravity about 2.65. The smoothly rounded surface indicates tumbling and polishing.

Identified August 21, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Citrine forms when trace iron colors quartz during hydrothermal or pegmatitic growth; much commercial citrine is heat-treated amethyst. Quartz ranges from Precambrian to modern geologic ages and occurs in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary settings.

Uses & applications

Used as an inexpensive gemstone, ornamental stone, meditation/collecting material, and in quartz-related industrial applications. This small polished pebble has modest jewelry or specimen value.

Geological facts

Natural citrine is substantially rarer than heat-treated material, which commonly has strong orange coloration or reddish tips. The pictured specimen could also be yellow aventurine or another quartz-rich stone, so identification is not certain from the image alone.

Field identification & locations

Quartz hardness, glassy luster, translucency, and resistance to scratching help distinguish it from calcite; a gemological test of refractive index and inclusions can separate citrine from substitutes. Common sources include Brazil, Madagascar, Zambia, and Uruguay.