mineral

Rose Quartz

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; Color: pale pink to rose-red; Luster: Vitreous/Glassy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale
Color: pale pink to rose-red
Luster: Vitreous/Glassy

Identified March 25, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; Color: pale pink to rose-red; Luster: Vitreous/Glassy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal/Trigonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.65.

Formation & geological history

Formed in igneous environments, primarily in massive pegmatites (coarse-grained igneous rocks) at high temperatures and pressures. Most deposits range from 1 to 2.5 billion years old.

Uses & applications

Used in the jewelry industry for beads, cabochons, and ornamental carvings. Also valued by spiritual collectors and used as a source of high-purity silica in industrial glass manufacturing.

Geological facts

Unlike other varieties of quartz that form large crystals, Rose Quartz usually occurs in massive form. The pink color is attributed to microscopic inclusions of pink fibers of a borosilicate mineral related to dumortierite.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its distinct waxy to vitreous pink appearance and hardness (it will scratch glass). Commonly found in Brazil, Madagascar, South Africa, and the United States (South Dakota).