mineral
Smoky quartz
Quartz, SiO₂ (smoky variety)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectBrown to gray-brown, translucent with a glassy luster; Mohs hardness 7, trigonal crystal structure, and no cleavage, breaking with a conchoidal fracture. The small specimen appears rough and partly translucent.
Identified More mineral →
Explore Smoky quartz in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Brown to gray-brown, translucent with a glassy luster; Mohs hardness 7, trigonal crystal structure, and no cleavage, breaking with a conchoidal fracture. The small specimen appears rough and partly translucent.
Formation & geological history
Forms in silica-rich hydrothermal veins and pegmatites, or in cavities in igneous rocks; its smoky color commonly develops from natural radiation acting on trace aluminum in quartz. Specimens occur across a wide range of geological ages.
Uses & applications
Used for jewelry, carvings, and mineral collecting; quartz is also important in glassmaking and electronics.
Geological facts
Quartz is one of Earth’s most abundant minerals. Smoky coloration can range from pale gray to nearly black.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its glassy appearance, hardness, and lack of cleavage; common sources include Brazil, the Alps, and the United States. The image alone does not establish the identification definitively.
More like this
Other mineral specimens
Gneiss or Schist
Gneiss or Mica Schist with Garnet
Metamorphic
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Tumbled granite
Granite, a coarse-grained felsic intrusive igneous rock
igneous
Epidote
Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)
metamorphic
Pegmatite with Tourmaline and Quartz
Igneous Pegmatite
igneous
Granite
Granite (Phaneritic intrusive igneous rock)
igneous