mineral
Yellow Quartz Pebble (Citrine or Iron-Stained Quartz)
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent yellow to honey-amber; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal (though water-worn into an oval); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
- Hardness
- 7 on Mohs scale
- Color
- Translucent yellow to honey-amber
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn)
Identified More mineral →
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on Mohs scale; Color: Translucent yellow to honey-amber; Luster: Vitreous to waxy (when water-worn); Crystal Structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal (though water-worn into an oval); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture)
Formation & geological history
Formed in various geological environments including pegmatites and hydrothermal veins. This specific specimen has been smoothed and rounded by river or beach erosion (alluvial transport), likely dating from the Quaternary period to millions of years old.
Uses & applications
Used in lapidary work, jewelry making, and as a popular specimen for metaphysical collectors. If found in large quantities, it is used for industrial glass making or as decorative gravel.
Geological facts
Yellow quartz is often called 'Citrine' in the gemstone trade. While natural citrine is rare, many yellow quartz pebbles get their color from minute inclusions of iron oxide (limonite) or natural irradiation within the earth.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its hardness (it will scratch glass but cannot be scratched by a steel knife) and its smooth, water-worn texture. Commonly found in riverbeds and coastal regions where quartz-rich basement rock has eroded.
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