mineral

Smoky quartz (likely)

Quartz, silicon dioxide (SiO₂)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Translucent brown to gray-brown, with a vitreous luster and irregular fracture; quartz is Mohs hardness 7, hexagonal crystal system, and lacks cleavage. The small rough specimen appears naturally weathered or broken, though lighting limits certainty.

Identified August 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms in silica-rich hydrothermal veins, pegmatites, and cavities in igneous rocks when trace radiation-related defects darken clear quartz. Crystallization may range from Precambrian to recent geological settings.

Uses & applications

Used as a collector specimen and, when transparent and well-formed, as a gemstone; quartz is also important industrially in glass, ceramics, electronics, and engineered stone.

Geological facts

Smoky coloration results from color centers associated with aluminum impurities and natural irradiation. Heating can remove the brown color, while irradiation can darken pale quartz.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by its glassy luster, hardness, conchoidal fracture, and inability to scratch it with steel; it should scratch ordinary glass. Common localities include Brazil, Switzerland, the United States, Madagascar, and Scotland.