Most of us cannot find a difference between calcite vs. citrine because they look similar at some points of the crystals.
People debate about the accurate ways to identify these stones. We have compiled a comprehensive guide to help you distinguish between these stones.
What Are the Differences between Calcite vs. Citrine?
There are some differences in the color and the hardness of these crystals.
We will give you some details of each of these crystals first.
We will also give your comparison to help you identify your crystal.
What Is Calcite?
Calcite is the most durable form of calcium carbonate.
Most calcium carbonate compounds dissolve in the water fast because they are not as hard.
It is not the case with calcite because it has a hardness score of three on the Moh hardness scale.
You can scratch the calcite easily with most materials.
Some crystals are not as hard as the calcite. Selenite has a hardness score of two.
You can scratch the selenite with the calcite. You can get many types of calcite crystals in nature.
Calcite is available in fibrous, granular, and compact forms.
Lublinite is a calcite crystal that reflects light and has a fibrous structure.
Scalenohedra is the most abundant form of calcite crystals.
Related Article: Can Calcite Go in Water?
What Is Yellow Calcite?
Yellow calcite is an abundant crystal in the calcite class of minerals.
You can get this stone in an opaque appearance.
Some may have a few clear parts in the stone also.
Most of the yellow calcite stones have a light yellow color.
You may also find them in deep and dark yellow colors.
People use yellow calcite to enhance their mental energy.
It is perfect for the teachers and the students because they can learn and teach better.
Some practitioners also believe that yellow calcite can bring prosperity.
You can keep this crystal to improve your business.
What Is Orange Calcite?
The orange color of the orange calcite is due to the iron oxide in the calcite crystals.
People find orange calcite in crystal form rarely.
You can get it abundantly in the mass formation.
It is a stone to enhance your lower chakras.
You can also remove negative vibrations from the environment with the orange calcite as it repels the negative energies from your home.
You can find it in all types of rocks. It has a hardness score of three on the Moh hardness scale.
You will mostly get the translucent orange calcite because transparent crystals are rare in this category.
It has the same chemical formula as the other calcite crystals.
It has calcium, carbon, and three oxygen atoms in a molecule.
What Is Calcite’s Hardness?
Calcite has a specific gravity of 2.71.
It means that the crystal has more weight in a small size.
The crystal is more durable than the selenite as it has a hardness score of three on the Moh hardness scale.
Most quartz crystals have a score of 7.
It is easy for the other type of crystals to break and scratch the calcite.
It has enough hardness that you can carve it to make decorative products.
Ancient Egyptians made sacred objects with calcite because they believed it made their Bast goddess happy.
Some also used calcite to make navigation equipment.
It was only possible with the calcite. Some advanced technologies also use transparent calcite.
Scientists are trying to make an invisibility cloak using calcite material.
Is Citrine, as a Mineral, Found in Nature?
Citrine is a quartz-based crystal. It has a high hardness score.
You can get the citrine crystals in a yellow to amber color.
The color of the crystal depends on the type of iron bonding and the concentration of the iron in the mineral.
It is hard to find yellow citrine. Some sellers make this crystal by heating the amethyst and smoky quartz.
You will get yellow quartz when you heat these crystals.
Heating these crystals will give you a gold tint.
You can collect the citrine made from the heat treatment because natural citrine is rare. It has a yellow to brownish red color.
If you get a citrine crystal at a low cost, it is not natural because the natural citrine is expensive because of the rare occurrence.
Citrine is resistant to cracks and scratches because it has a hardness score of 7 on the Moh hardness scale.
People link this stone to success. Merchants like to keep natural citrine with them to improve their business.
Related Article: Can Citrine Go in Water?
What Do Calcite and Citrine Have in Common?
It is hard to distinguish between citrine and calcite when they are yellow.
They appear the same when they have a yellow color.
You can get the calcite in bright yellow color.
Citrine can also have a bright yellow color when you treat it with some heat.
Calcite and calcite were part of the weapons.
Armies used calcite to take down the planes using the explosive nature of this crystal.
Some ancient worriers used citrine on their weapon’s handles.
Both of these crystals have a yellow color due to the iron impurities in the crystals.
They also have similar metaphysical properties as people believe that they will bring wealth.
What Are the Differences Between Calcite and Citrine?
Calcite and citrine are different because they have different hardness scores.
Calcite has a lower hardness score and does not have a perfect luster.
You will find most calcite crystals without extensive luster.
Citrine is made of quartz. It has a high hardness core.
You will get an extensive luster n the citrine crystals. You can scratch the calcite with citrine.
It is impossible to do the opposite because you cannot scratch a softer object with the harder one.
Citrine shows more resistance to the water. Calcite crystals damage fast when you put them in water.
You will get calcite at a cheaper price. Citrine crystals are expensive because they are rare in nature.
Why Do People Confuse Calcite and Citrine?
People confuse citrine and calcite because of the resembling color.
Both of them have a yellow color. People have not seen citrine crystals because they are rare.
Whenever some see a citrine, they confuse it with calcite.
Some sellers try to sell calcite or heat-treated amethyst as citrine.
They can make a lot of money because citrine is a rare stone.
You can save yourself from this scam when you compare calcite vs. citrine.
Calcite vs. Citrine FAQs
People ask many questions about the calcite and citrine differences.
If you find a yellow crystal during your trips to the mountains, you also want to know the crystal’s identity.
We have compiled a list of questions to help you understand the different aspects of calcite vs. citrine.
Do I Have Citrine or Calcite?
You can find the identity of your crystal with the hardness test.
You can find an object with a hardness score of four to do the scratch test.
You can hold the crystal firmly and take the scratchless part in front of you.
You can scratch the surface with the object.
If it produces a scratch, you have calcite.
If the object cannot scratch the crystal surface, you have the citrine.
Is Golden Calcite Citrine?
You cannot say that golden calcite is citrine because these are different crystals.
Golden Calcite is also known as honey calcite because of its color.
It consists of calcium carbonate crystals.
Citrine consists of quartz crystals. They are not the same thing.
Is Yellow Quartz and Citrine the Same?
Yellow quartz is not the same as citrine because they have some color differences.
You can make yellow quartz by heating the amethyst crystals.
Citrine is a crystal with dull yellow color in nature.
Quartz can get yellow color by different procedures.
These procedures will not make citrine because it is a natural and rare crystal.
Is Yellow Aventurine the Same as Citrine?
Aventurine is not the same as citrine because it is mostly green in color.
Some people also find the yellow aventurine and confuse the crystal with the citrine.
Aventurine has a shimmering due to the platy minerals.
You will not find shimmering in the citrine as it is a smooth crystal.
Aventurine has a lower hardness score.
It has a hardness score of 6.5 on the Moh hardness scale.
It means that you can scratch the aventurine with citrine.
To Summarize: Calcite vs. Citrine
You cannot put the calcite in the seawater because the sea water can damage the calcite crystals. Calcite has a low hardness score.
It will not resist the damages from the salt water. You can use other ways to cleanse the crystal. The situation is different with the citrine.
- Calcite has a hardness score of 3. It is much less than the citrine because it has a hardness score of 7.
- Yellow calcite is available abundantly in nature. Citrine is a rare and expensive crystal.
- Calcite does not have bright colors in its natural form. You will find calcite in bright yellow color in nature.
- A Scratch test is the best way to differentiate between calcite and citrine crystals.