An elephant carved in rose quartz, 4 inches (10 cm) long

Rose quartz is a type of quartz which exhibits a pale pink to rose red hue. The color is usually considered as due to trace amounts of titanium, iron, or manganese, in the massive material. Some rose quartz contains microscopic rutile needles which produces an asterism in transmitted light. Recent X-ray diffraction studies suggest that the color is due to thin microscopic fibers of possibly dumortierite within the massive quartz. It is rarely found in crystal form. When it is, its color is thought due to trace amounts of phosphate or aluminium. The color in crystals is apparently photosensitive and subject to fading. The first crystals were found in a pegmatite found near Rumford, Maine, USA, but most crystals on the market come from Minas Gerais, Brazil. An elephant carved in rose quartz. ... An elephant carved in rose quartz. ... Quartz is the most abundant mineral in the Earths crust. ... General Name, Symbol, Number titanium, Ti, 22 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 4, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 47. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... General Name, Symbol, Number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 54. ... Rutile in trellis texture characteristic of secondary rutile. ... Asterism on the surface of a sapphire In gemmology, an asterism is an optical phenomenon displayed by some rubies, sapphires, and other gems of an enhanced reflective area in the shape of a star on the surface of a cabochon cut from the stone. ... X-ray crystallography is a technique in crystallography in which the pattern produced by the diffraction of x-rays through the closely spaced lattice of atoms in a crystal is recorded and then analyzed to reveal the nature of that lattice. ... Dumortierite is a glassy pink, green, violet, or blue aluminum borosilicate mineral, Al8BSi3O19OH, used in spark-plug ceramics and as imitation lapis lazuli. ... In chemistry, a phosphate is a polyatomic ion or radical consisting of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen. ... General Name, Symbol, Number aluminium, Al, 13 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 13, 3, p Appearance silvery Atomic mass 26. ... Pegmatite is a very coarse-grained igneous rock that has a grain size of 20 mm or more; such rocks are referred to as pegmatitic. ... State nickname: The Pine Tree State Other U.S. States Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Governor John Baldacci (D) Official languages None Area 86,542 km² (39th)  - Land 80,005 km²  - Water 11,724 km² (13. ... Minas Gerais is one of the states of Brazil, the second most populous in the federation. ...

It is not very popular as a faceted gem because its pink color is often too pale and the stones are always cloudy, and very often have large flaws in them. When rose quartz is cut in cabochons, or rounded into beads for necklaces or carved, it is far more effective. GEM redirects here. ... A cabochon or cabouchon is a gemstone which has been shaped and polished as opposed to facetted. ... A necklace is an article of clothing or jewelry; which is worn around the neck. ...

See also

• List of minerals

Gem animals. ...

References and external links

• Dana's Manual of Mineralogy ISBN 0471032883
• Mineral galleries