Citrine
What is Citrine?
Citrine is a variety of quartz that ranges from pale yellow to brownish orange in color. It’s primarily found in Brazil, but it can also be sourced from other countries including Russia and Madagascar. Citrine is often used as a gemstone and is a popular choice for jewelry due to its beautiful colors and spiritual significance.
Citrine is a yellow to brownish-orange variety of quartz. Its warm colors and lustrous appearance make it a popular choice for jewelry and decorative items. It’s often used in necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, and is sometimes used to make beads.
| Chemical Classification | Inorganic - Silicate (Quartz) |
| Color | Metallic gray to black. |
| Streak | Red-Brown |
| Luster | Metallic to submetallic. |
| Transparency | Opaque. |
| Occurrence | Brazil, Australia, and India. |
| Formation | Hematite forms in various environments, including sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. It's often found in banded iron formations. |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent |
| Cleavage | None |
| Mohs Hardness | 5 to 6. |
| Specific Gravity | 5.26 (can be higher in some cases due to impurities). |
| Diagnostic Properties | Yellow to golden color, a variety of quartz. |
| Chemical Composition | SiO2 |
| Pleochroism | Not observed in hematite. |
| Crystal System | Hexagonal (variety of Quartz) |
| Optical Properties | Uniaxial (+) |
| Refractive Index | 1.544 - 1.553 |
| Birefringence | 0.009 |
| 2V angle | Not applicable (isometric) |
| Dispersion | Not typically noted for hematite as it's not a key feature of this stone. |