Smoky quartz

Smoky quartz ( or Morion ) is a variety of the mineral quartz, which was colored by natural or artificial gamma-ray gray-brown ( smoked color ) to black ( Morion ). Mostly brown smoky quartz is transparent to translucent. Well-trained smoky quartz crystals are less often than comparable quartz crystals, but relatively often found.

Etymology and history

The name of smoky quartz is due to the color of this quartz variety. The name Morion for the dark variety also commonly used can the Roman historian and naturalist Pliny ( * 23, † 79) are returned. This called the mineral in his encyclopedia Naturalis historia mormorion. In German-speaking countries, this name was bowdlerized to Morion.

Properties

The irradiation of clear quartz with ionizing radiation (eg gamma rays) leads to the formation of lattice defects or color centers. In the case of natural radiation radioactive minerals and elements in the surrounding rock for the formation of color centers are responsible.

Use

Smoky quartz is processed exclusively for gems and art objects. Smoky quartz is also sometimes referred to as " smoky topaz " in the trade. Locations include Brazil, Madagascar, Russia, Switzerland, Scotland, Ukraine and the United States.