Large Citrine Crystals
Although widely referred to as citrine, these crystals are heated amethyst.
Due to citrine being relatively rare, amethyst is often heated and sold as 'citrine'. When amethyst is heated to more than 500°C, its crystals change colour.
Distinguishing natural citrine from heated amethyst is relatively easy, certainly in regard to most commercial-grade stones. The most obvious indications are colour and price.
Heated amethyst tends to have a rich yellowish-orange colour that can, in some cases, be almost brown.
Natural citrine often has a subtle yellow or golden colour, but can also be distinctively orange. Crystals of natural citrine would never include opaque, white quartz.
If you could find a natural citrine crystal of this size, it would command a huge price.
Many minerals are heat treated for the purpose of enhancing or changing their colour. Heat has been used in this way for thousands of years.
Like most of the world's heated amethyst, these citrine crystals come from Brazil.
