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Rose Quartz Information
Rose quartz is a natural variety of macrocrystalline quartz having pink to rose-red color.
See also our other Varieties of Quartz.
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ROSE QUARTZ PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- Rose Quartz chemical composition: SiO2
- Class: tectosilicate
- Crystal system: Hexagonal-Rhombohedral; 32 (trigonal-trapezohedral)
- Crystal habit: Natural rose quartz is usually massive with occasional contact crystal faces, occurs rarely as small horizontally striated hexagonal prisms terminated by a combination of positive and negative rhombohedrons forming six sided pyramids.
- Specific gravity: 2.65
- Index of refraction: 1.54-1.55
- Pleochroism: weak to distinct
- Hardness: 7
- Color: pale-pink to rose-red
- Luster: vitreous
- Transparency: opaque to translucent, rarely transparent
- Cleavage: none
- Fracture: conchoidal
- Streak: white
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QUARTZ (Rose Quartz) BACKGROUND INFO
Rose quartz is a macrocrystalline variety of the mineral Quartz (SiO2). Quartz is the most abundant single mineral on earth. It makes up about 12% of the earth's crust, occurring in a wide variety of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
Quartz varieties are commonly separated into two groups based on the size of the individual grains or crystals; macrocrystalline quartz in which individual crystals are distinguishable with the naked eye, and cryptocrystalline quartz in which the individual crystals are too small to be easily distinguishable under the light microscope.
Some of the macrocrystalline quartz varieties are: Amethyst, Ametrine, Cat's-eye Quartz, Citrine, Phantom Quartz, Rock Crystal, Rose Quartz, Rutile in Quartz and Smoky Quartz.
Blue Aventurine Quartz and Green Aventurine Quartz are actually quartzites (a rock, not a mineral) composed essentially of interlocking macrocrystalline quartz grains with disseminated grains of other color imparting minerals.
The cryptocrystalline varieties of quartz may be separated into two types;
fibrous and microgranular. Chalcedony is the general term
applied to the fibrous cryptocrystalline varieties.
Agate is an example of a fibrous cryptocystalline
banded chalcedony variety of quartz. Carnelian, Chrysoprase and bloodstone
are other chalcedony varieties.
Chert is the general term applied to the granular cryptocrystalline
varieties of quartz, of which flint and Jasper are examples.
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ROSE QUARTZ OCCURRENCE & DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES
Natural rose quartz is opaque to translucent macrocrystalline quartz of pink to rose-red color. It normally occurs in the cores of large pegmatites as solid masses of rose colored quartz whose individual crystals have poorly formed boundaries.
Some rose quartz contains microscopic rutile crystals which are oriented at right angles to the c-axis of the rose quartz in three directions, each 120 degrees apart. When viewed at a specific angle with a source of light a star-effect is visible. This is known as asterism.
The color of rose quartz is still not completely understood. It has been
said to be due to a number of different minor impurities present in the
rose quartz including titanium, manganese and even colloidal gold.
However,
recent studies using micro-analytical methods have discovered that the
color of massive rose quartz is actually due to microscopic mineral fibers in the
rose quartz. X-ray diffraction tests on these microscopic fibers yielded
patterns similar to the mineral dumortierite but slightly different,
suggesting the possibility of a totally new and as yet unknown fibrous
mineral causing the color in massive rose quartz.
The rare transparent
euhedral crystals of rose quartz owe their coloration to aluminum and phosphorous
impurities. Their pink color is photosensitive and can fade in sunlight.
Rose quartz is recognized by its color, transparency, hardness, glassy luster, conchoidal fracture, occurance and general lack of cleavage.
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ROSE QUARTZ HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND USES
Rose quartz has been used as a gemstone and as other ornamental and religous objects for thousands of years.
Historically, it is a symbol of love and beauty.
The name quartz comes from the Saxon word querklufterz which meant cross vein ore.
The astrological signs of rose quartz are Taurus and Libra.
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ROSE QUARTZ METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Rose quartz is said to balance the emotions, thus giving inner peace and harmony, and to enhance one's sensitivity to beauty, art and music. It is also said to calm aggression and resentment while increasing self-esteem and self-confidence, and to enhance one's compassion, patience and forgiveness. It is said to enhance your capacity to love others and yourself.
Rose quartz is said to help treat depression and to assist in weight loss. It is said to give a clear soft complexion and to prevent wrinkles. Rose quartz is also said to aid the proper functioning of the kidneys, adrenals, genitals, liver, lungs and heart, and to increase fertility and protect against radiation.
For more in-depth metaphysical information, see our Metaphysical Books section.
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See all of our natural varieties of quartz:
Varieties of QUARTZ
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Last Updated: May 25, 2024© Copyright 1998-2024 Gem & Mineral Miners, Inc.® All Rights Reserved.