Amber Mineral Data

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John Betts - Fine Minerals, New York. Dealers of Fine Minerals and Natural Crystal Clusters since 1989. We buy rock collections, we buy gem collections, we buy mineral collections.

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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Visit our Advertisers for Amber :

Dakota Matrix Minerals Google Search for Amber
Dan & Diana Weinrich Mineral Auctions Google Search for Amber
John Betts Fine Minerals Google Search for Amber
McDougall Minerals Google Search for Amber
Weinrich Minerals, Inc. 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: