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, and conchoidal fracture.
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Physical properties
Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, brown to black color, vitreous luster, hexagonal crystal system, and conchoidal fracture.
Formation & geological history
Forms in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites through the irradiation of natural silicon dioxide by surrounding radioactive elements.
Uses & applications
Widely used in jewelry, ornamental carvings, and as a popular mineral specimen for collectors.
Geological facts
The dark color results from natural gamma radiation displacing aluminum impurities within the crystal lattice.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive brown-to-grey translucency and hexagonal prism terminations; commonly found in Brazil, Colorado, and the Swiss Alps.
