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PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Color: Yellow, orange, red, brown, and gold. In the Dominican Republic: also blue and green

Luster: Resinous

Transparency: Transparent to translucent.

Crystal System: does not apply, amber is amorphous

Habits: Include nodules in shales or sandstones and
washed up on beaches.

Fracture: Conchoidal.

Hardness (Mohs): 2+

Specific Gravity: 1.05 - 1.09, max 1.30
(extremely light, floats in a 10% salt solution)

Other Characteristics: Can be burned, fluorescent under UV light, easy to charge staticly (see below)

Chemistry: Approx. C10H16O; Succinic acid.

Class: Mineraloids

Locations: Baltic countries: E. Prussia (Poland), Baltic Sea, Siberia, Dominican Republic, Burma, Germany, Canada, Venezuela, Mexico, Russia, Romania, Sicily, and less frequent in other countries.

Uses: Ornamental, gemstone and semi-precious stone, scientific investigations (i.e. paleontology, fossilology)

Origin of the name: from Middle English ambre,
from Middle French,
from Medieval Latin ambra,
from Arabic anbar ambergris

The Greek name for Amber is: electron

Around 600 BC, Greeks found that by rubbing an electron (Amber) against a fur cloth, it would attract particles of straw. For over 2000 years this strange effect remained a mystery. But in the 1600's, Dr William Gilbert investigated the reactions of amber and magnets and first recorded the word 'Electric' in a report on the theory of magnetism.

Isn't it interesting that the words "Electricity" and "Electronic" are related to this beautiful gemstone?

Literature we recommend: Amber by Andrew Ross Book News, Inc. The Amber Book by Ake Dahlstrom and Leif Brost Amber the Golden Gem of the Ages by Patty C. Rice Secrets of A Lost World Dominican Amber and Its Inclusions by Rafael Jie Chiang Wu. Life in Amber by George O. Poinar, Jr. Amber: A window into past biotas and biologic interactions by J. Santiago-Blay and G.O. Poinar Amber, A View of the Past by Doug Lundberg Amber, A Fossilized Tree Resin by Leif Brost Identifying True Amber by Gary Platt

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