Identification guide · Quartz Family
How to Identify Carnelian
Carnelian is usually orange, red-orange, and reddish-brown with a vitreous 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. It is most often confused with Jasper, Agate, and Fire Agate; the tests below separate them.
Carnelian identification checklist
| Color | Orange, Red-Orange, Reddish-Brown | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Vitreous | Fresh surfaces shine like glass; a dull surface usually means weathering, so chip or wet a corner. |
| 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 | 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 | 2.6 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.6), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal |
Extra tests for Carnelian
Glass check. Carnelian shares a glassy luster and conchoidal fracture with man-made glass. Glass sits near Mohs 5.5 and often contains round gas bubbles, so a hardness test and a hand lens separate them.
Carnelian 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. Carnelian vs Jasper →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Carnelian vs Agate →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Carnelian vs Fire Agate →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead.
Is my Carnelian real?
- Hardness: real Carnelian sits at Mohs 7. Glass imitations are about 5.5, so genuine Carnelian scratches glass while a glass fake cannot.
- Bubbles: round gas bubbles under a 10x loupe mean glass or resin, never a natural stone.
- Color: dyed material concentrates color in cracks and pores; look for pigment collecting at the edges of fractures.
- Temperature: natural crystals feel cool and take longer to warm in your hand than plastic or resin.
Field tips
- Check whether the specimen's color and texture match typical Carnelian examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Carnelian identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Carnelian?
Check the color (orange, red-orange, and reddish-brown), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 7 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Carnelian?
Carnelian 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 Carnelian and Jasper?
Carnelian (Mohs 7, vitreous luster) and Jasper (Mohs 7, vitreous luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Carnelian vs Jasper comparison for a side-by-side table.
How do I know if my Carnelian is real?
Real Carnelian matches the hardness listed above, shows no round gas bubbles under magnification, and does not concentrate dye in cracks. Glass and resin fakes fail at least one of those checks.
Is Carnelian worth anything?
Entry-level Carnelian specimens sell for around $5, typical collector pieces about $25, and premium examples $150 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Carnelian?
Carnelian is most often orange, red-orange, and reddish-brown. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
