Rose Quartz
A variety of Quartz
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About Rose Quartz
Formula:
SiO2
Colour:
Pink
Lustre:
Vitreous
A variety of Quartz
Two varieties of quartz are commonly called "rose quartz".
1. One is found in translucent masses made of intergrown anhedral crystals. It occurs in different hues of pink, sometimes bluish, sometimes more reddish; irradiation may cause the formation of smoky quartz color centers and add a gray tone.
Rose quartz is always showing a hazy to translucent character due to microscopic fibrous inclusions of a pink borosilicate mineral related to dumortierite (Applin and Hicks, 1987; Goreva et al, 2001; Ma et al, 2002), which group leader Rossman names "dididumortierite" (Nadin, 2007). These inclusions are probably the result of an exsolution from an initially homogeneous material.
The color of the fibrous mineral as well as the color of rose quartz is stable up to temperatures of about 575°C (Lehmann and Bambauer, 1978; Goreva et al, 2001) and is also generally stable in ultraviolet light (Goreva et al, 2001), although there have been occasional reports of material that pales quickly in daylight.
Rose quartz is dichroic, reflecting a preferential orientation of the included fibers.
Rose quartz from some localities shows asterism when cut as spheres or cabochons, much like that seen in certain sapphires. It is sometimes called star rose quartz. The six-rayed star is caused by reflections of the light from embedded fibers that intersect at an angle of 60°. The star's position depends both on the location of the light source and the position of the observer (Schmetzer and Krzemnicki, 2006; Killingback, 2008).
Rose quartz is commonly found in the quartz cores of pegmatites and is believed to form at high temperatures, but it has also been found in hydrothermal veins.
This variety is the rose quartz that is used in lapidary and carvings.
Crystals of this type of rose quartz have never been found.
2. The other variety occurs in well-formed crystals of similar color. Because of the substantial differences in the physical properties and causes of color it has been suggested to give the variety of pink-colored quartz that forms crystals the name "pink quartz"(Hori, 2001) or "Rosaquarz" (German for pink quartz, Rykart, 1995) but neither of these names have found widespread use.
They are found as a late formation in pegmatite pockets, often overgrowing smoky quartz crystals in groups of parallel-grown crystals. According to Maschmeyer and Lehmann (1983), the color is caused by irradiation-induced color centers based on aluminum, Al, and phosphorous, P, that replace Si in the atom lattice. A synthetic counterpart has been synthesized, and irradiation-induced P-bearing color centers have found to be responsible for its color, too, but aluminum was absent (Balitsky et al 1998). The crystals are also slightly dichroic; the strongest color is observed when the polarization plane is perpendicular to the c-axis.
The color in both natural and synthetic specimens is very light- and heat sensitive (Balitsky et al 1998). An example for its UV-sensitivity is shown on the photo to the left: a natural specimen was completely bleached within 10 hours of UV irradiation. This is much faster than the bleaching observed in smoky quartz or amethyst, and specimen should be kept in the dark to preserve their color.
Incorrect uses of the name
The term "rose quartz" has also occasionally been used for quartz that is colored by other inclusions.
Pale amethyst may be confused with euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz. Amethyst and euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz are both occasionally found overgrowing smoky quartz and may show similar sheet-like surface patterns. The non-destructive distinction between amethyst and euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz is difficult unless the crystals are free-standing. Then the different dichroic behaviour can be used to determine the variety: when the polarization of the light is changed from parallel to the c-axis to perpendicular to the c-axis, amethyst changes its color from bluish to reddish, whereas euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz changes from a more pale to a more intense pink color.
Two varieties of quartz are commonly called "rose quartz".
1. One is found in translucent masses made of intergrown anhedral crystals. It occurs in different hues of pink, sometimes bluish, sometimes more reddish; irradiation may cause the formation of smoky quartz color centers and add a gray tone.
Rose quartz is always showing a hazy to translucent character due to microscopic fibrous inclusions of a pink borosilicate mineral related to dumortierite (Applin and Hicks, 1987; Goreva et al, 2001; Ma et al, 2002), which group leader Rossman names "dididumortierite" (Nadin, 2007). These inclusions are probably the result of an exsolution from an initially homogeneous material.
The color of the fibrous mineral as well as the color of rose quartz is stable up to temperatures of about 575°C (Lehmann and Bambauer, 1978; Goreva et al, 2001) and is also generally stable in ultraviolet light (Goreva et al, 2001), although there have been occasional reports of material that pales quickly in daylight.
Rose quartz is dichroic, reflecting a preferential orientation of the included fibers.
Rose quartz from some localities shows asterism when cut as spheres or cabochons, much like that seen in certain sapphires. It is sometimes called star rose quartz. The six-rayed star is caused by reflections of the light from embedded fibers that intersect at an angle of 60°. The star's position depends both on the location of the light source and the position of the observer (Schmetzer and Krzemnicki, 2006; Killingback, 2008).
Rose quartz is commonly found in the quartz cores of pegmatites and is believed to form at high temperatures, but it has also been found in hydrothermal veins.
This variety is the rose quartz that is used in lapidary and carvings.
Crystals of this type of rose quartz have never been found.
2. The other variety occurs in well-formed crystals of similar color. Because of the substantial differences in the physical properties and causes of color it has been suggested to give the variety of pink-colored quartz that forms crystals the name "pink quartz"(Hori, 2001) or "Rosaquarz" (German for pink quartz, Rykart, 1995) but neither of these names have found widespread use.
They are found as a late formation in pegmatite pockets, often overgrowing smoky quartz crystals in groups of parallel-grown crystals. According to Maschmeyer and Lehmann (1983), the color is caused by irradiation-induced color centers based on aluminum, Al, and phosphorous, P, that replace Si in the atom lattice. A synthetic counterpart has been synthesized, and irradiation-induced P-bearing color centers have found to be responsible for its color, too, but aluminum was absent (Balitsky et al 1998). The crystals are also slightly dichroic; the strongest color is observed when the polarization plane is perpendicular to the c-axis.
The color in both natural and synthetic specimens is very light- and heat sensitive (Balitsky et al 1998). An example for its UV-sensitivity is shown on the photo to the left: a natural specimen was completely bleached within 10 hours of UV irradiation. This is much faster than the bleaching observed in smoky quartz or amethyst, and specimen should be kept in the dark to preserve their color.
Incorrect uses of the name
The term "rose quartz" has also occasionally been used for quartz that is colored by other inclusions.
Pale amethyst may be confused with euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz. Amethyst and euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz are both occasionally found overgrowing smoky quartz and may show similar sheet-like surface patterns. The non-destructive distinction between amethyst and euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz is difficult unless the crystals are free-standing. Then the different dichroic behaviour can be used to determine the variety: when the polarization of the light is changed from parallel to the c-axis to perpendicular to the c-axis, amethyst changes its color from bluish to reddish, whereas euhedral rose quartz/pink quartz changes from a more pale to a more intense pink color.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Rose Quartz.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3456 (as Rose Quartz)
3337 (as Quartz)
3337 (as Quartz)
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3456:8 (as Rose Quartz)
mindat:1:1:3337:0 (as Quartz)
mindat:1:1:3337:0 (as Quartz)
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
afb861d6-2a69-48f6-bd90-687bf57beeee (as Rose Quartz)
4ca61d6f-75f8-4208-8fb2-3b0eecbcd8f0 (as Quartz)
4ca61d6f-75f8-4208-8fb2-3b0eecbcd8f0 (as Quartz)
Physical Properties of Rose Quartz
Vitreous
Colour:
Pink
Chemistry of Rose Quartz
Mindat Formula:
SiO2
Elements listed:
Synonyms of Rose Quartz
Other Language Names for Rose Quartz
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
151 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
133 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Eosphorite | Mn2+Al(PO4)(OH)2 · H2O |
100 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
65 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Zanazziite | Ca2Mg5Be4(PO4)6(OH)4 · 6H2O |
46 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
45 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Albite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
28 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Microcline | K(AlSi3O8) |
23 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
21 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Cleavelandite | Na(AlSi3O8) |
16 photos of Rose Quartz associated with Schorl | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
Other Information
Thermal Behaviour:
Pink quartz (euhedral) pales at about 200°C (Balitsky et al 1998).
The color of rose quartz (massive) is stable to about 500°C (Goreva et al. 2001)
The color of rose quartz (massive) is stable to about 500°C (Goreva et al. 2001)
Notes:
Rose quartz (massive): may show asterism.
Special Storage/
Display Requirements:
Display Requirements:
Pink quartz (euhedral): Keep in the dark to prevent bleaching.
Rose quartz (massive): insensitive to light and UV, no special requirements.
Rose quartz (massive): insensitive to light and UV, no special requirements.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Rose Quartz
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3456.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Rose Quartz
Localities for Rose Quartz
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Poschingerhütte Quarry, Arnbruck, Regen District, Lower Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany