How to identify Strawberry Quartz

To correctly identify Strawberry Quartz (Quartz (SiO2) with Hematite or Goethite inclusions), check each of these features in order. Many rocks and minerals look alike, so cross-reference multiple properties before deciding.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Color

   Overall color and any zoning or banding

   Pink to red, often with visible specks or streaks of red, orange, or brown inclusions within a clear or milky quartz matrix.

2. 2

   Luster

   How the surface reflects light: metallic, vitreous, dull

   Vitreous (glassy) on fractured surfaces and crystal faces.

3. 3

   Texture

   Grain size and surface feel: coarse, fine, glassy

   Smooth to slightly granular depending on the size and distribution of inclusions. Can feel cool to the touch.

4. 4

   Crystal Form

   Shape of visible crystals or crystal faces

   Typically occurs as prismatic hexagonal crystals, often terminated, or as massive aggregates. Inclusions are internal.

5. 5

   Cleavage

   How it breaks: flat cleavage planes vs irregular fracture

   None, as with all quartz varieties.

6. 6

   Geological Environment

   The rock formation and setting where it occurs

   Hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and other igneous or metamorphic settings where silica-rich fluids interact with iron-bearing minerals.

Key Facts

Hardness

7 on the Mohs scale (due to quartz)

Specific Gravity

2.65 g/cm³ (typical for quartz, inclusions have minimal effect)

Crystal System

Trigonal

Color

Pink to red, often with visible red, orange, or brown inclusions

Luster

Vitreous

Transparency

Transparent to translucent

Fracture

Conchoidal

Cleavage

None

Composition

Silicon dioxide (SiO2) with inclusions of Hematite (Fe2O3) or Goethite (FeO(OH))

Physical characteristics

• Crystal Habit: Prismatic hexagonal crystals, often terminated; also massive or granular aggregates.
• Cleavage Type: None (due to strong Si-O bonds in all directions)
• Fracture Type: Conchoidal (smooth, curved breaks resembling the inside of a shell)
• Tenacity: Brittle
• Luster Type: Vitreous (glassy)

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