mineral
Smoky Quartz
Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, brown to black color, vitreous luster, hexagonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, brown to black color, vitreous luster, hexagonal crystal system, conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Formed from natural irradiation of color centers in transparent quartz over millions of years within pegmatites and hydrothermal veins.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in jewelry, lapidary art, and as a decorative mineral specimen.
Geological facts
The dark coloration results from gamma rays emitted by surrounding radioactive rocks acting on aluminum impurities in the crystal lattice.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its characteristic brownish-gray to black translucent coloration and conchoidal fracture; commonly sourced from Brazil, Colorado, and the Swiss Alps.
