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, 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?+
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Find pink dumortierite on the map
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