Amber Mineral Data

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General Amber Information

Chemical Formula:

[C,H,O]

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 180.29 gm

Hydrogen 11.18 % H 99.92 % H₂O

Carbon 79.94 % C

Oxygen 8.87 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.92 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

C₁₂H₂₀O

Environment:

Fossilized tree resin which is insoluble in common organic solvents. Gives an aromatic odor when burned (Plastic imitations do not).

IMA Status:

Not Approved IMA

Locality:

Gdansk, Shores of the Baltic Sea, Poland. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

The name is for the yellow-orange-brown color.

Synonym:

Bernstein

Resin

Succinite

Xyloretinite - C10H17O

Amber Image

Images:

Amber

Comments: Rectangular specimen of dark, transparent amber with a large spider entombed inside.
Location: Bitterfeld, Saxony, Germany. Scale: 14x10x10 mm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Amber Crystallography

Crystal System:

Amorphous- No Crystals

Physical Properties of Amber

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Yellow, Brown, Colorless, Brownish red.

Density:

1.05 - 1.15, Average = 1.1

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Nodular - Tuberose forms having irregular protuberances over the surface.

Habit:

Pulverulent - Forms a loose, poorly-coherent powdery mass.

Hardness:

2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Fluorescent.

Luster:

Resinous

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Amber

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.445 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
KPDmeas= 0.4909,KC= 0.3397
Ncalc = 1.36 - 1.39

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=1.54.

Calculated Properties of Amber

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.22 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Amber =1.10 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0088532573
Boson Index = 0.9911467427

Photoelectric:

PE_Amber= 0.15 barns/electron
U=PE_Amber x rElectron Density= 0.18 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Amber is Not Radioactive

Amber Classification

Dana Class:

50.00.00.00 (50)Organic Minerals

(50.00)Without Dana Classification Numbers

(50.00.00)Organic

50.00.00.00 Amber* [C,H,O] None

50.00.00.00 Tinnunculite* C10H12N6O8(?) Unk Ortho

Strunz Class:

10.C 10 - ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

10.C - Miscellaneous Organic Minerals

10.C -

10.C Amber* [C,H,O] None

Other Amber Information

References:

NAME( Athena)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Amber :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - MinDAT
8 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
9 - Online Mineral Museum
10 - Philatelic Mineralogy
11 - QUT Mineral Atlas
12 - Ruff.Info
13 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
14 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems

Search for Amber using:

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Mineral News Website Link
Mineral of the Month Club Google Search for Amber
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TIMA Mineral Analyzer Website Link
Weinrich Minerals, Inc. Google Search for Amber
Wright's Rock Shop Google Search for Amber

Ask about Amber here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Amber Specimen Label here :

Amber

[C,H,O]
Dana No: 50.00.00.00 Strunz No: 10.C
Locality:

Notes: