RocksdayAmethyst vs Citrine
To tell Amethyst from Citrine: Citrine is yellow to orange. Heated amethyst geodes fade orange at the tips and stay white at the base.
The purple variety of quartz. Its color comes from traces of iron combined with natural radiation, and it often lines the inside of large volcanic geodes.
Photo: Gonzalo Devia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Yellow to orange quartz. Natural citrine is pale and fairly rare; most citrine sold today is heat-treated amethyst.
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0
Key differences
- Citrine is yellow to orange. Heated amethyst geodes fade orange at the tips and stay white at the base.
- Amethyst is purple. A geode purple at the base and orange at the tips was amethyst before it was heated.
Side by side
| Property | Amethyst | Citrine |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 7 | 7 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Vitreous |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Purple | Yellow, Orange |
| Crystal system | Trigonal | Trigonal |
| Specific gravity | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Formula | SiO₂ | SiO₂ |
| Found in | Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Artigas, Uruguay | Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Madagascar |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify amethyst
- Purple, often deepest at the crystal tips.
- Hardness 7 — scratches glass.
- Grows as clusters of pointed crystals inside geodes.
- No cleavage; breaks with a glassy, curved fracture.
Crystal system: Trigonal
Full Amethyst guide →How to identify citrine
- Pale lemon to honey-orange quartz, hardness 7.
- Heat-treated amethyst geodes turn burnt orange at the tips with white bases — a giveaway.
- Natural pieces have an even, soft yellow color.
Crystal system: Trigonal
Full Citrine guide →More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between amethyst and citrine?
Amethyst is a mineral (SiO₂) with a Mohs hardness of 7 and a vitreous luster, usually purple. Citrine is a mineral (SiO₂) with a Mohs hardness of 7 and a vitreous luster, usually yellow or orange.
How can you tell amethyst from citrine?
Citrine is yellow to orange. Heated amethyst geodes fade orange at the tips and stay white at the base. Amethyst is purple. A geode purple at the base and orange at the tips was amethyst before it was heated.
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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