metamorphic
Pink Quartz (Inclusion-rich Quartzite)
SiO2 (Silicon Dioxide) with Iron Oxide / Hematite inclusions
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Rose/pink to reddish-brown; Luster: Vitreous to dull/waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs scale)
- Color
- Rose/pink to reddish-brown
- Luster
- Vitreous to dull/waxy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale); Color: Rose/pink to reddish-brown; Luster: Vitreous to dull/waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Hexagonal; Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the regional metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone. The pinkish-red hue is typically derived from small amounts of iron oxide (hematite) or titanium impurities trapped during the recrystallization process under high heat and pressure.
Uses & applications
Used primarily as decorative aggregate in landscaping, ornamental stone for aquarium beds, and occasionally carved into cabochons for primitive jewelry or tumbled for metaphysical collecting.
Geological facts
While often confused with 'Rose Quartz,' these specimens are often actually quartzite. Unlike true Rose Quartz which crystallizes from pegmatites, pink quartzite is a metamorphic rock where individual sand grains have fused into a solid crystalline mass.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its inability to be scratched by a steel knife (hardness 7) and its sugary/granular crystalline texture. Common in Precambrian shield areas and found abundantly in riverbeds in the American Midwest (like the Sioux Quartzite) or glacial drift.
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