Tibetan Quartz Identification Guide
Identify clear double-terminated Tibetan quartz with black inclusions, and separate it from Herkimer diamonds and ordinary clear quartz.
Read the full Tibetan Quartz encyclopedia entry →
What Tibetan Quartz Looks Like
Tibetan quartz refers to clear quartz crystals from the Himalayan region, prized for natural double terminations (points at both ends) and frequent black inclusions (carbon/hematite/anatase) and rainbow internal fractures.
- Color: colorless/clear to smoky or slightly milky; black inclusion specks common.
- Luster: vitreous (glassy).
- Transparency: transparent to translucent.
- Crystal habit: hexagonal prisms, often double-terminated, sometimes with internal phantoms, rainbows, and black mineral inclusions.
Step-by-Step Field ID Checklist
- Check terminations. Naturally pointed ends—often both ends—indicate quartz; double termination is a Tibetan-quartz hallmark.
- Look for black inclusions. Tiny black flecks (carbon/hematite) inside the clear crystal are characteristic of Himalayan material.
- Hardness. Mohs 7—scratches glass and is unscratched by a knife.
- Confirm hexagonal prism faces and conchoidal fracture on any broken surfaces.
- Streak. White.
- Feel/weight. Cool, glassy, density ~2.65.
Key Diagnostic Tests
- Hardness: 7.
- Streak: white.
- Cleavage/fracture: none/conchoidal.
- Acid: inert.
- Density: ~2.65.
- Inclusions: black mineral specks and internal rainbows are typical and help confirm natural origin.
Common Look-Alikes
- Herkimer diamond: also a short, clear, double-terminated quartz; Herkimers are from New York and are usually very clear and stubby. Tibetan quartz tends to be more elongate and often carries black inclusions and a smoky tint—locality and inclusion style differ, but mineralogically both are quartz.
- Glass: softer (~5.5), often with bubbles and no natural crystal faces or hexagonal symmetry.
- Topaz: harder (8), has perfect basal cleavage and higher density.
- Danburite/clear beryl: different crystal habits and (beryl) hexagonal but no double termination typical; hardness and form differ.
- Dyed/coated "aura" quartz: metallic iridescence indicates treatment; natural Tibetan quartz has natural rainbows from internal fractures, not surface metallic films.
Where It Is Found
Tibetan quartz comes from the Himalayan mountains, marketed from Tibet and adjacent regions (including Nepal/China Himalaya). It is collected from high-altitude quartz veins, often hand-dug.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell if Tibetan quartz is real?
Genuine Tibetan quartz is hexagonal clear quartz, hardness 7, that scratches glass and resists a knife, frequently double-terminated with natural black inclusions and internal rainbows. Surface metallic iridescence indicates artificial coating instead.
What is the difference between Tibetan quartz and Herkimer diamonds?
Both are clear double-terminated quartz. Herkimers come from New York and are usually very clear and stubby, while Tibetan quartz is from the Himalayas, often more elongate, and commonly contains black inclusions or a smoky tint.
What does Tibetan quartz look like?
Clear to slightly smoky hexagonal quartz crystals, often pointed at both ends, frequently dotted with tiny black inclusions and showing internal rainbow flashes.
Why does Tibetan quartz have black spots?
The black specks are natural mineral inclusions such as carbon, hematite, or anatase that were trapped as the quartz grew, and they are considered a characteristic feature of Himalayan material.
Tibetan Quartz identified by the community
Recent Tibetan Quartz specimens identified with Rock Identifier.
