Citrine
Image: Robert M. Lavinsky (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameCitrine
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness7
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustervitreous
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.65
Colorsyellow, orange, brownish-orange
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityOlkhovka, Tyumenskaya Oblast', Polar Urals, Western-Siberian Region, Russia
Mineral GroupSilicates
Usesjewelry, collector, ornamental
Associated Mineralsfeldspar, mica, other quartz varieties
Rarityuncommon
Description
This image displays a transparent, yellowish-orange to brownish-orange crystal exhibiting the characteristic hexagonal prismatic habit of quartz, with well-defined faces and terminations.
Geological Context
Citrine is a variety of quartz whose color is attributed to iron impurities, often forming when amethyst or smoky quartz is naturally or artificially heated. It typically occurs in igneous rocks like granites and pegmatites, as well as in hydrothermal veins.
