Pink Dumortierite is a rare color variant of the standard blue-to-violet dumortierite species, often prized by collectors for its unusual coloration. It is typically found in dense, fibrous, or massive aggregates within metamorphic environments and is often cut as a decorative cabochon.
Is this pink dumortierite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch pink dumortierite with a known reference. Pink Dumortierite sits at Mohs 7-8.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Pink Dumortierite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Pink Dumortierite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, reddish-pink, violet-pink.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: fibrous, massive, radiating aggregates.
Often confused with
Pink Dumortierite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside pink dumortierite
Minerals reported to co-occur with pink dumortierite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Al₇(BO₃)(SiO₄)₃O₃
- Mohs hardness
- 7-8.5
- Density
- 3.3-3.4 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Fibrous, Massive, Radiating Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Distinct On {100}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector, Lapidary
- Host rock
- Metamorphic Rocks Like Schist and Gneiss, Often in Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $20-150 for specimens depending on quality and size
Where rockhounds find pink dumortierite
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Madagascar
- Brazil
- Namibia
- Austria
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic rocks like schist and gneiss, often in pegmatites country — that is the host setting where pink dumortierite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, kyanite, sillimanite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a fibrous, massive, radiating aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Nevada — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify pink dumortierite?+
Where is pink dumortierite found?+
Can I find pink dumortierite in the United States?+
How much is pink dumortierite worth?+
What rocks look like pink dumortierite?+
What minerals are found with pink dumortierite?+
What kind of rock does pink dumortierite form in?+
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Find pink dumortierite on the map
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