The name Citrine is derived from the Latin word Citrus, meaning “lemon”. Until the Middle Ages this name was used to designate a wide range of yellow stones. Citrine has been highly regarded as a gemstone and healing stone for almost six thousand years. The soldiers in Caesar’s legions wore citrine on their chest because the stone was believed to have life-saving properties in battle. As befits its color, it is recognized as the stone of light, sun and life. (Did you know…..that the yellow amethyst and smoky quartz can be heated to artificially create citrine?)
Citrine is yellow to brownish quartz (silicon dioxide) and resembles yellow topaz. It is colorless by hydrous iron oxide, and is found in the same hexagonal crystals as the other varieties of crystalline quartz. Natural citrine is much less common than amethyst or smoky quartz, both of which can be heat treated to turn their color to of citrine. Citrine occurs principally in localities that produce amethyst, and it is sometimes found as a zone of citrine in amethyst, when it is known as ametrine. Gem-quality citrine is found in a few places around the world such as on the Isle of Arran, Scotland; in the Ural Mountains of Russia; near Hyderabad, India; in Dauphine, France; and in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
This new specimen just arrived from the mineral company today and is huge (at least to me it is!); measuring about 18"x 16" in diameter in an irregular shape and 3"-4" thick in some places (and is quite heavy).
The large chunk is still in its raw form; jagged crystal cylinders, rough edges…the stories it could tell. This piece of citrine is from Artigas, Uruguay; rich in colors of the golden yellow sun with the light bands of white around the edges and bottom of gray ground.
The chunks of each crystal cylinder are gorgeous; defiantly add this one to your collection of minerals or just to ‘showcase’ in your den or study.
