How to identify Strawberry Quartz

To correctly identify Strawberry Quartz (Quartz with Hematite 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 red speckles, flakes, or streaks due to hematite inclusions. The base quartz can be colorless or slightly milky.

2. 2

   Luster

   How the surface reflects light: metallic, vitreous, dull

   Vitreous (glassy) on crystal faces and fracture surfaces.

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. Quartz exhibits conchoidal fracture.

6. 6

   Geological Environment

   The rock formation and setting where it occurs

   Hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and sometimes in metamorphic rocks. Requires the presence of iron-rich fluids during quartz crystallization.

Key Facts

Hardness

7 on the Mohs scale (due to quartz host)

Specific Gravity

2.65 - 2.66 (typical for quartz, inclusions have minimal effect)

Crystal System

Trigonal

Color

Pink to red with red inclusions

Luster

Vitreous

Transparency

Transparent to translucent

Fracture

Conchoidal

Cleavage

None

Composition

Silicon dioxide (SiO2) with iron oxide (Fe2O3) inclusions

Physical characteristics

• Crystal Habit: Prismatic hexagonal crystals, often terminated; massive
• Cleavage Type: None
• Fracture Type: Conchoidal
• Tenacity: Brittle
• Luster Type: Vitreous

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