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Yellow Quartz

YELLOW QUARTZ QUAY1QUARTZ (var. YELLOW)

HISTORY, NAME, LOCALITIES: Yellow quartz is the uncommon, orange variety of quartz.  Its variety name alludes to its color.  Yellow quartz has few collecting localities, the most notable being in China.

MINERALOGY, PROPERTIES, OCCURRENCE: The physical properties of yellow quartz are the same as those of quartz [silicon dioxide, SiO2], with the exception of its diagnostic, yellow-to-pinkish-yellow colors, which are created by a uniform coating of particulate chabazite-Ca [hydrous calcium aluminum silicate, Ca2(Al4Si8O24)•13H2O].  Yellow quartz crystallizes in the hexagonal system and occurs mainly in volcanic and metamorphic environments as short-to-long, horizontally striated, hexagonal, prismatic crystals with pyramidal terminations.  It colors range from light yellow to pinkish-yellow.  The quartz itself is transparent and colorless, but the chabazite-Ca coating makes it appear sub-transparent to sub-opaque.  It has a Mohs hardness of 7.0, conchoidal fracture, dull luster, and specific gravity of 2.65.  Yellow quartz should not be confused with citrine, the transparent, golden-yellow gem variety of macrocrystalline quartz, or with tangerine quartz, which is colored by a coating of hematite [ion oxide, Fe2O3].

METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, LORE, USES: According to metaphysical practitioners, yellow quartz encourages stability and confidence, assures success, calms nerves, and spurs mental inspiration.  It is also thought to retain some of the properties of clear quartz (rock crystal).

COLLECTORS’ INFORMATION: Yellow quartz is collected for its distinctive yellow-to-pinkish-yellow colors and unusual association with chabazite-Ca.

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