mineral
Tumbled yellow quartz (likely citrine)
Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂), iron-colored variety
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness 7 Mohs; pale honey-yellow, translucent, with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and conchoidal fracture. Quartz is trigonal and lacks cleavage; the rounded shape appears human-tumbled.
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Physical properties
Hardness 7 Mohs; pale honey-yellow, translucent, with a vitreous-to-waxy luster and conchoidal fracture. Quartz is trigonal and lacks cleavage; the rounded shape appears human-tumbled.
Formation & geological history
Likely quartz colored yellow by iron impurities, either naturally heated amethyst/citrine or heat-treated quartz. Quartz formed in hydrothermal veins or cavities, commonly from Paleozoic to younger igneous and metamorphic systems.
Uses & applications
Used as a gemstone, lapidary material, and collector specimen; small tumbled pieces are generally decorative rather than high-value jewelry rough.
Geological facts
True natural citrine is relatively uncommon; much commercial “citrine” is heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz. A scratch test against glass can help confirm quartz, though it may damage the specimen.
Field identification & locations
Commonly found in Brazil, Madagascar, Uruguay, Spain, and the United States. Identify by hardness, translucent yellow color, glassy fracture, and absence of obvious cleavage; image-based identification is not definitive.
