mineral

Polished pink tourmaline in quartz (likely tourmalinated quartz)

Quartz (SiO₂) with pink lithium-rich tourmaline, commonly elbaite

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: quartz 7, tourmaline 7–7.5 Mohs; pink, white, gray, and dark inclusions with vitreous luster. The sphere is polished, so cleavage and crystal faces are obscured; quartz is trigonal and tourmaline is trigonal.

Hardness: quartz 7, tourmaline 7–7

Identified August 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in granitic pegmatites, where late, boron-rich fluids crystallized tourmaline with quartz over roughly 500–300 million years ago. The material is commonly cut and polished into decorative spheres.

Uses & applications

Used for ornamental objects, mineral collecting, metaphysical décor, and occasionally jewelry; it has little industrial value in this polished form.

Geological facts

The pink color is typically caused by manganese in elbaite, while white areas are quartz or feldspar. Tourmaline is strongly piezoelectric and may attract dust when warmed or rubbed.

Field identification & locations

Identify by the mottled quartz matrix and pink, often fibrous or prismatic tourmaline inclusions; confirm with hardness and lack of reaction to dilute acid. Common sources include Brazil, Afghanistan, Madagascar, and Mozambique.