Brown Sugar (Sucrose)
Image: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/8161563@N04">Alden Chadwick</a> from Leeds, UK (CC BY 2.0)
Mineral NameBrown Sugar (Sucrose)
Chemical FormulaC12H22O11
Mohs Hardness2.5
Crystal Systemmonoclinic
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite to light brown
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal to uneven
Specific Gravity1.59
Colorsyellow, brown, amber
Transparencytransparent to translucent
Type LocalityN/A (produced globally from sugarcane or sugar beets)
Mineral GroupOrganic compound (Carbohydrate)
Usesfood, sweetener, baking
Raritycommon
Description
This image shows numerous small, translucent, yellowish-brown to amber crystals, varying in shape from blocky to elongated, exhibiting a sugary texture under magnification.
Geological Context
Brown sugar is not a mineral or rock; it is an organic compound (sucrose) derived from plants like sugarcane or sugar beets, and then processed into crystalline form for consumption.
