mineral

Smoky Quartz (with Iron Oxidation)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)

Hardness: 7 (Mohs scale), Color: Smoky greyish-brown with reddish-orange iron staining, Luster: Vitreous to greasy, Crystal Structure: Trigonal, Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture), Specific Gravity: 2.65

Identified April 13, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Usually forms in pegmatites or hydrothermal veins when natural radiation from surrounding rocks activates aluminum impurities in quartz crystals. It is found in geological environments ranging from thousands to millions of years old.

Uses & applications

Used primarily for crystal healing, as a decorative specimen for collectors, and occasionally as a gemstone for jewelry when high clarity is present.

Geological facts

The smoky color is the result of natural irradiation. It was historically used in China for the earliest known sunglasses during the 12th century.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its hardness (scratches glass), lack of cleavage, and translucent smoky appearance. Common in granite-heavy regions and pegmatite deposits worldwide.

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Schist

Metamorphic

Epidote

Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)

metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral