mineral
Rose Quartz
SiO2 (Silicon Dioxide with trace amounts of iron, manganese, or titanium)
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; Color: Pale pink to rose-red; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; 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 to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; Color: Pale pink to rose-red; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal structure: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture); Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed through the cooling and crystallization of silica-rich magma or hydrothermal fluids, often found in pegmatites. These specimens can range from millions to over a billion years old depending on the host formation.
Uses & applications
Used widely in the jewelry industry for beads, cabochons, and carvings. Also popular in the lapidary arts, interior design, and as a metaphysical healing crystal.
Geological facts
Unlike other varieties of quartz, rose quartz rarely forms well-defined crystal faces; it usually occurs in massive form. The pink color is often attributed to microscopic inclusions of a fibrous pink mineral similar to dumortierite.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its distinctive pink hue, conchoidal (glass-like) fracture, and inability to be scratched by a steel pocket knife. Commonly found in Brazil, South Africa, Madagascar, and South Dakota, USA.
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sedimentary
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Schist
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metamorphic
Gypsum (variety Selenite or Alabaster)
Calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Mineral
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Nephrite
Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)
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