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Carnelian  (variety of Chalcedony - Quartz)
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  SiO₂ + N  [Silicon Dioxide + Nickel]

Discovery year unknown;   IMA status: Not Valid (trade name).
Carnelian is named from the Latin word carnis meaning flesh in allusion to its red colors.

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Oxides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

4/D.01-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

4.DA.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
A : With small cations: Silica family

Related to:

Quartz Group

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Trigonal - Trapezohedal

Crystal Habit:

Widely variable; but typically fibrous (Agate, Chalcedony & Chrysoprase)

Twinning:

None (Agate, Chalcedony & Chrysoprase)

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[0110] Indistinct

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

7.0

Density:

2.60 - 2.65 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Various shades of Orange, Red, Brown

Transparency:

Translucent to Opaque

Luster:

Vitreous

Refractive Index:

1.543 - 1.554  Uniaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.0090

Dispersion:

0.013 (low)

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In hydrothermal veins, epithermal to alpine; characteristic of granites and granite pegmatites; in sandstones and quartzites, less abundant in other rock types; in hydrothermal metal deposits. Common in carbonate rocks; a residual mineral in soils and sediments.

Common Associations:

Calcite, Chlorite, Epidote, Feldspars, Fluorite, Micas, Zeolites, many other species.

Common Impurities:

Iron oxides

Type Locality:

Unknown

Year Discovered:

Unknown

View mineral photos:

Carnelian Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org  (Carnelian)
Mindat.org  (Chalcedony)
Mindat.org  (Quartz)
Webmineral.com  (Quartz)

Carnelian is a translucent, reddish-orange variety of Chalcedony which is a type of cryptocrystaline, or fine-grained, Quartz with a fibrous microstructure. Carnelian is colored shades of red, orange or brown by the presence of Iron Oxide (FeO). It is always translucent to opaque, never fully transparent and usually found as cabochons or carvings but may also be faceted. It is a very attractive material with colors of bright reddish orange to deep red.

Carnelian is found in many locations worldwide including Brazil; Mozambique; Arizona and New Mexico, USA.
 

  
Carnelian gems for sale:

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