mineral
Rose Quartz
Silicon dioxide (SiO2) with traces of titanium, iron, or manganese
Hardness: 7 (Mohs); Color: Pale pink to rose red; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal system: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs)
- Color
- Pale pink to rose red
- Luster
- Vitreous to greasy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 7 (Mohs); Color: Pale pink to rose red; Luster: Vitreous to greasy; Crystal system: Hexagonal (trigonal); Cleavage: Indistinct/Conchoidal fracture; Specific gravity: 2.65
Formation & geological history
Formed in high-temperature pegmatites and hydrothermal veins as magma cools slowly deep within the Earth's crust. Most specimens dates from the Precambrian or later continental rifts.
Uses & applications
Primarily used in jewelry, ornamental carvings, lapidary work, and crystal healing practices. Occasionally used as a decorative building material.
Geological facts
Unlike ordinary quartz which forms large crystals, rose quartz usually occurs in massive form. The pink color is often attributed to microscopic inclusions of a pink variety of the mineral dumortierite.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its translucent pink color and lack of crystal faces (typically found as large, blocky masses). Can be found in Brazil, Madagascar, South Africa, and the United States (South Dakota).
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