FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[spyrodragon]

Hi. I have this little cluster of smokey quartz and since it is really dark, in fact it is black but when held up to a light you can see the smokey brown color inside, I was wondering if it was irradiated.

I was also wondering if irradiation changes the properties of a certain mineral or gem.

[Jordi Fabre]

Hard to say by your photo. From where is supposed it comes?

[spyrodragon]

Honestly, I am not sure. I just saw it sitting in one of the cupboards in the classroom my mom used to teach in a couple years ago. It was also during the time she was moving into the classroom during the summer. It just caught my attention so I took it home.

I can get a better camera tomorrow and take more pictures. I used my cell as it was all i had at the time. I will also take some of the crystal piece that broke off perfectly from the piece and get a pic of if held up to the light with a nice view of the inside color to see if that would help.

I wish I knew where it came from as well lol.

[keldjarn]

Most often also naturally formed smokey quartz is a result (natural) radiation causing damage to the internal structure (on a molecular level). Therefore smokey quartz is often found found in i.e. granites or granite pegmatites having a high background radiation because of radioactive minerals in the rock. Interestingly a prolonged exposure to sunlight may "repaiir" the internal damage and "restore" it to a clear crystal. I have often found pristine cvavities with dark smokey quartz crystals where the overlying debris have been bleached by the sun to white or clear quartz.
As for your specimen, I would guess it to be natural. Part of the quartz seems to be white and often artificially irratiated specimens are more uniformly smokey. There is also no commercial reason for artificially irratating/enhancing such a small specimen which would be inexpensive also from natural sources.
Knut

[spyrodragon]

Thanks Knut. Your reply makes sense, especially the last part of it about the how artificially irradiated quartz would be more uniform. And yes the base is white with the smokey color varying in degrees. The bottom also varies in the smokey color throughout. Here is a picture of it.

My next burning question is if a piece is artificially irradiated, will it change the properties of a certain mineral or gem? I just started taking a geology course in college this semester so I know most of what I see written on the forums but it's still a little confusing at times for me to understand so please excuse me if I seem to be asking what to you guys may be a simple second nature answer. No offense to anyone either on my last sentence.

[David Von Bargen]

[spyrodragon]

Lol, yes, would not want to handle a radiative gem. Thank you very much all of you for helping answering my questions.

[Jason]

My personal opinion with no in-hand info and test is:)..irridated brazilian smokey..looks just like the 55 gallon drums I see shipped from brazil quarterly. Thats just my opinion from a picture

[Jordi Fabre]

As Knut, the white bottom as well as the pale smoky color in the back side it intrigues me too. Without more details I can't tell much more.

spyrodragon, if you have a mineral show close where you live, maybe would be a good idea bring the Quartz there and ask for it to some expert. With the specimen "in the hand" could be easy determinate it.

[spyrodragon]

Jordi, that is a good idea, and ultimately the best way to get it figured out. It seems like a lot of shows are overseas or in the east states but I'll do some googling to see if there are shows in California.

Thanks