Rose quartz is a variety of quartz known for its delicate pink coloration caused by trace amounts of titanium, iron, or manganese. It is almost exclusively found in massive form within pegmatites and is a popular choice for lapidary work and carvings due to its durability and color.
Is this rose quartz?
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 rose quartz with a known reference. Rose Quartz sits at Mohs 7 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Rose Quartz leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Rose Quartz typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, rose-red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Rose Quartz vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside rose quartz
Minerals reported to co-occur with rose quartz. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Density
- 2.65 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Gemstone, Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $5-30 for small carvings/specimens, $50-200 for high-quality spheres or large crystals
Where rockhounds find rose quartz
23 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Madagascar
- South Dakota, USA
- India
- Sri Lanka
U.S. states with rose quartz
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce rose quartz.
Field-hunting tip
Look in pegmatites country — that is the host setting where rose quartz typically forms. If you start seeing microcline, albite, muscovite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Georgia — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify rose quartz?+
Where is rose quartz found?+
Can I find rose quartz in the United States?+
How much is rose quartz worth?+
What rocks look like rose quartz?+
What minerals are found with rose quartz?+
What kind of rock does rose quartz form in?+
What is rose quartz used for?+
Find rose quartz on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
