Smoky Quartz
7Hardness (Mohs)
SiO₂Chemistry
3Known origins & mines
Natural irradiation turns quartz smoky brown to near-black ("morion"). Classic sources include Switzerland's Alps, Colorado Springs area, Brazil and Scotland's Cairngorms — the national gem of Scotland.
Known origins & mines
Pikes Peak Batholith · United States
Colorado's Lake George-Crystal Peak amazonite-and-smoky combination is the classic American pocket pairing; goethite pseudomorphs add specim…
Cairngorm Mountains · United Kingdom
"Cairngorm" became the generic name for brown smoky quartz from these Highland corries — set into sgian-dubh handles and Celtic brooches as …
Uri Alpine Smoky Quarries · Switzerland
Swiss "Stäffeli" diggers still hunt smoky cleft crystals in Gotthard gneiss; alpine smoky quartz graced Renaissance snuff boxes and remains …