Identification guide · Materials
How to Identify Aura Quartz
Aura Quartz is usually iridescent, blue, and rainbow with a metallic luster and is translucent. It has a Mohs hardness of 7. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Its streak is white to colorless. It is most often confused with Quartz, Opalite, and Rainbow Obsidian; the tests below separate them.
Aura Quartz identification checklist
| Color | Iridescent, Blue, Rainbow, Gold, Purple | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Metallic | Turn it under a lamp: a true metallic shine reflects like polished metal and stays opaque at thin edges. |
| Transparency | Translucent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 7 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | White to colorless | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | None | |
| Fracture | Conchoidal | Broken surfaces show smooth, curved, shell-like scoops. |
| Specific gravity | 2.65 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.65), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal |
Aura Quartz look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Aura Quartz vs Quartz →
Aura Quartz is harder (Mohs 7) than Opalite (Mohs 5.5), so Aura Quartz will scratch Opalite and not the other way round. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. Aura Quartz vs Opalite →
Aura Quartz is harder (Mohs 7) than Rainbow Obsidian (Mohs 5.5), so Aura Quartz will scratch Rainbow Obsidian and not the other way round. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. Aura Quartz vs Rainbow Obsidian →
Aura Quartz is harder (Mohs 7) than Arsenopyrite (Mohs 5.5–6), so Aura Quartz will scratch Arsenopyrite and not the other way round. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will.
Field tips
- Look for a surface-level iridescent metallic sheen over quartz crystal faces.
- Check whether color is concentrated on the outside rather than throughout the crystal.
- Do not identify aura quartz as a natural blue or rainbow quartz variety without treatment disclosure.
Aura Quartz identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Aura Quartz?
Check the color (iridescent, blue, rainbow, and gold), the metallic luster, a Mohs hardness of 7 and a white to colorless streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Aura Quartz?
Aura Quartz has a Mohs hardness of 7. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Aura Quartz and Quartz?
Aura Quartz (Mohs 7, metallic luster) and Quartz (Mohs 7, vitreous, greasy on fracture surfaces luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Aura Quartz vs Quartz comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Aura Quartz worth anything?
Entry-level Aura Quartz specimens sell for around $5, typical collector pieces about $25, and premium examples $180 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Aura Quartz?
Aura Quartz is most often iridescent, blue, rainbow, and gold. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
