Citrine is the most valuable variety of quartz. It is also known by the names “Gold Topaz” and “Spanish Topaz.” Its name derives from the Greek word topazos meaning “yellow gemstone.” It is important to note that any stone that is a topaz and has a prefix name attached to it, such as “Yellow Topaz” or “Madeira Topaz,” is usually citrine that has been heat-treated. Nearly all citrine that is available on the market is artificially heated smoky quartz or amethyst. This is due to the fact that most commercial citrine contains impurities of ferric iron. It is, however, a very durable stone with a hardness of 7 on the Moh’s Scale. The Moh’s Scale measures the hardness and determines the scratch-resistance of various minerals and gemstones.
The color of citrine ranges from pale yellow to golden brown to burnt amber. Stones that have been heat-treated are darker in color whereas naturally occurring citrine is a much lighter yellow to orangey color. The darker colored stones are considered to be more valuable than the lighter colored stones. The most popular and preferred stones are clear with a shimmering yellowish to brownish-red color.
Citrine crystallizes in several different forms with the most common being clusters of pyramids that project from a geode base, a concave rock that is filled with crystals. It also occurs as short, fat crystals known as “drusy aggregates.” Drusy aggregates are made up of prismatic crystals, meaning that they are usually stretched out in one long direction with four sides that are similar in length and width. Some citrine occurs in massive form with no specific size or shape.
The world-leading manufacturer of geologically mined citrine is Brazil. Other localities include Spain, the Scottish island of Arran, France, Hungary, Madagascar, and the Ural Mountains of Russia.
Citrine is one of the two minerals on earth that does not need to be cleansed because it does not hold on to or collect any negative energy. Instead it disperses and transforms it, thus helping to resolve issues on the physical and metaphysical level.
METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF CITRINE
-Citrine is known as the “Merchant’s Stone” because of its ability to generate income for the person holding the crystal. It has also been placed in one’s cash box not only to acquire wealth but also to help maintain a state of wealth.
-Useful in improving problem-solving skills and memory.
-Activates, opens, and rejuvenates the navel and solar plexus chakras.
-A powerful stone in helping one deal with issues of willpower, self-esteem, confidence, and optimism.
-Helpful in healing the mind of negative emotions by creating and maintaining emotional clarity.
-Used by healers to align the chakras with the ethereal plane.
-Balances the yin-yang (male and female) energies.
-Aids in the removal of toxins from the second (sacral) and third (solar plexus) chakras.
HEALING PROPERTIES OF CITRINE
-In ancient times citrine was used to protect against snake venom.
-Helpful in cleansing and maintaining the health of the digestive system, the genitourinary system, the liver, kidneys, and spleen.
-Efficient in reducing anxiety, stress, and fear.
-Useful in treating disorders of the heart and poor blood circulation.
-Used to ease the discomfort caused by acid indigestion, food disorders, and allergies.
-Effective in cleansing the body of toxins and in the regeneration of body tissues.
The astrological signs for citrine are Aries, Libra, Gemini, and Leo. It vibrates to the number 6.
SOURCES
www.mineralszone.com
www.mineralminers.com
www.minerals.net
Melody. (1995). Love is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals. Wheat Ridge, Colorado: Earth-Love Publishing House.
