mineral
Yellow Quartz / Citrine Pebble
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellow to golden honey-brown. Luster: Vitreous to waxy (tumbled/smoothed). Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: ~2.65.
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Pale yellow to golden honey-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy (tumbled/smoothed)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Pale yellow to golden honey-brown. Luster: Vitreous to waxy (tumbled/smoothed). Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal. Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific gravity: ~2.65.
Formation & geological history
Formed in igneous pegmatites, hydrothermal veins, or as weathered pebbles in alluvial sedimentary deposits. Yellow coloration usually results from iron impurities within the quartz lattice.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in lapidary arts, jewelry making, tumbling, decorative crafts, and crystal collecting.
Geological facts
Natural citrine is quite rare; much of the commercial yellow quartz is heat-treated amethyst, though natural water-worn yellow quartz pebbles are commonly found in gravel beds and river deposits worldwide.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its hardness (scratches glass, cannot be scratched by steel knife), translucent yellow body, and lack of cleavage. Commonly found in riverbeds, gravel pits, and beaches globally.
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