RocksdayMorganite vs Rose Quartz
How to tell them apart
Pink to peach beryl colored by manganese.
Photo: Parent Géry, Public domain
Pink, usually cloudy quartz that almost always forms as massive chunks rather than crystals. The color comes from microscopic fibrous inclusions.
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
Key differences
- Rose quartz is cloudy and rarely forms crystals.
Side by side
| Property | Morganite | Rose Quartz |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 7.5–8 | 7 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Vitreous to greasy |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Pink, Orange | Pink |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal | Trigonal |
| Specific gravity | 2.71–2.9 | 2.65 |
| Formula | Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈ (with Mn) | SiO₂ |
| Found in | Madagascar; Minas Gerais, Brazil | Black Hills, South Dakota; Minas Gerais, Brazil |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify morganite
- Soft pink or peach, glassy.
- Often tabular, flattened hexagonal crystals.
- Hardness 7.5–8.
Crystal system: Hexagonal
Full Morganite guide →How to identify rose quartz
- Soft pink and translucent-to-cloudy.
- Hardness 7 — scratches glass.
- Usually massive, with no crystal faces.
- No banding.
Crystal system: Trigonal
Full Rose Quartz guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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