Yellow calcite is the lemon-yellow form of ordinary calcite, a soft natural mineral. We do not carry it. A very bright, even color can be dye, so it is worth asking.
Carbonate · Calcite
Yellow Calcite
Calcita amarilla
- Palette
- Yellow
- Mined in
- Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Iceland, Peru, Russia, United States, Mexico, Canada
- Hardness
- Mohs 3.0 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- 1845
- Named for
- Latin calx, meaning lime
- Also sold as
- lemon calcite
- Intention
- Strength Protection
- Looking for
- Confidence and self-worth Joy Compassion and empathy Protection
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Yellow calcite beads are usually natural, but some are coated or stabilized, so it varies by lot. Ask the seller.
Not in our pieces now
TRILOBITES
Trilobites, extinct about a quarter billion years ago, used clear calcite crystals as the lenses of their compound eyes.
85+ YEARS
Michigan's Calcite Quarry, described as the largest carbonate mine in the world, has operated for more than 85 years.
AUGUSTIN FRESNEL
Augustin-Jean Fresnel published a full explanation of double refraction in Iceland spar in the 1820s.
What it is
Calcite in pale lemon to bright yellow, sometimes shading toward honey gold. It is a soft, waxy to glassy stone, translucent and often cloudy in the raw, nearly clear once polished. It is ordinary calcite colored by trace impurities; the honey-gold shade has its own page.
Where it comes from
Calcite is found worldwide; named sources include Santa Eulalia in Chihuahua and Tecali in Mexico, Cumbria in England, Saxony and the Harz in Germany, and Helgustadir in Iceland, whose famous spar mine is now closed.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, yellow calcite is the stone people keep for self-worth and a cheerful outlook. It is said to bring optimism and an open, kind way of dealing with others.
Golden calcite is traditionally carried every day as a quiet protective stone, in a pocket or as a wire-wrapped pendant.
It is soft and does not like water, so most people wear it as a pendant or keep it in a pouch.
How people wear or keep it: In a pocket, as a pendant, held in the receiving hand, or over the solar plexus.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, yellow calcite is paired with the solar plexus chakra, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: in a pocket, as a pendant, held in the receiving hand. People reach for it when they want confidence and self-worth, joy, compassion and empathy, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraSolar Plexus
ZodiacPisces
Also calledlemon calcite
Care
- Soft (Mohs 3): a key or knife scratches it, so keep it alone in a soft pouch.
- Calcite fizzes in acid, so keep it away from vinegar, lemon juice and acidic cleaners.
- Keep out of water and salt; if it gets wet, dry it at once and wipe with a soft dry cloth.
- Take it off before swimming, washing dishes or using hand sanitizer.
- Skip ultrasonic cleaners and sudden temperature changes.
How to tell what you have
- Real calcite is soft (3 on the Mohs scale), fizzes in dilute acid and shows a doubled image through a clear piece.
- Honey-gold calcite can be confused with other yellow stones, but it is much softer: a steel point scratches it easily. A glassy, very hard yellow bead may be something else.
Rules and sourcing
Some yellow calcite beads are coated or stabilized, and it varies by lot. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose a coating or stabilizing.
Questions people ask at our table
What is yellow calcite?
It is calcite, calcium carbonate, in a lemon-yellow shade. Calcite is one of the most common minerals and comes in many colors, each sold under its own name.
Is yellow calcite the same as honey calcite?
They are the same mineral in neighboring shades. Lemon is the paler, brighter yellow and honey is the deeper gold. Honey calcite has its own page.
How soft is it?
It is a 3 on the Mohs scale, so a key or coin can scratch it. It suits careful wear such as pendants better than rough daily use.
Can yellow calcite get wet?
A quick splash is fine if you dry it at once. It reacts to acid and to water over time, so keep it away from soaking, vinegar and hand sanitizer.
Is it natural, and how do I tell it from other yellow stones?
It is a natural mineral, but a very bright, even yellow can be dye, so ask the seller. Calcite is much softer than citrine or yellow jasper and fizzes with a drop of acid.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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