mineral

Tumbled yellow-orange quartz

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂), likely iron-stained milky quartz or citrine-like quartz

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness 7 Mohs; translucent cream to honey-yellow color, vitreous-to-waxy luster, and conchoidal fracture. Quartz is trigonal and lacks cleavage; the rounded shape is from mechanical tumbling, with surface fractures and iron-oxide staining visible.

Identified September 13, 2026More mineral →

Explore Tumbled yellow-orange quartz in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Quartz crystallizes from silica-rich hydrothermal fluids or igneous melts; iron staining can produce yellow-orange colors. Quartz occurs from Precambrian to modern geological settings, while this specimen has been human-polished.

Uses & applications

Used as a decorative stone, craft material, and inexpensive lapidary specimen; gem-quality transparent citrine is used in jewelry. This cloudy, fractured piece has primarily ornamental value.

Geological facts

Its yellow color may reflect limonite or hematite coatings rather than true citrine. A steel file should not scratch quartz, though glass can be scratched by a sharp edge.

Field identification & locations

Common in quartz veins, granite-related deposits, stream gravels, and pegmatites worldwide. Confirm with a hardness test and inspect for quartz-like conchoidal fracture; avoid confusing it with calcite, which is much softer.