What is a smokey quartz? As informative an answer as possible please, thank you!?

Answer 1

It is a quartz crystal that is translucent and often brown or grayish black-colored, giving the appearance of being "smoky".
The gray is often the result of radiation staining. Trace amounts of aluminum must be in the quartz for it to react to radiation. Some smoky quartz is artificially irradiated, but natural smoky quartz is also caused by exposure to radiation.

http://www.mindat.org/min-3689.html

Here are lots of photos of smoky quartz samples:
http://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=3689

Here is some other information about smoky quartz:
http://rockhoundingar.com/askmikey/askMqtz02.html

Answer 2

Smoky quartz is a popular variety of quartz. It has an unusual color for a gemstone and is easily recognized and is well known by the general public. Only a few other brown or black minerals are ever cut for gemstones such as the smoky topaz, the very rare black beryl or the brown corundum. Smoky quartz is also popular as an ornamental stone and is carved into spheres, pyramids, obilisks, eggs, figurines and ornate statues.

Smoky quartz, a variety itself of quartz, has a few varieties of its own:
Cairngorm is a variety that comes from the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland.
Morion is a very dark black opaque variety of smoky quartz.
Coon tail quartz is a smoky quartz with an alternating black and gray banding.

The color of smoky quartz is variable from brown to black and sometimes smoky gray colored specimens are included as smoky quartz. The cause of the color of smoky quartz is in question but it is almost certainly related to the amount of exposure to radiation that the stone has undergone. Natural smoky quartz often occurres in granitic rocks which have a small but persistant amount of radioactivity. Most smoky quartz that makes its way to rock shops and to some gem cutters has been artificially irradiated to produce a dark black color.

Natural smoky quartz comes from many sources around the world. A few of the more noteworthy locations include Brazil, the worlds largest supplier; Pikes Peak area of Colorado, USA, where it is associated with green amazonite and the Swiss Alps, which has produced many tons of fine specimens.

(Pictures at the site listed below)

Answer 3

Smoky quartz or Smokey quartz, also known as Cairngorm or Cairngormstone is a brown variety of quartz caused through the natural (or artificial) irradiation of aluminium-containing rock crystal. A very dark brown to black opaque variety is known as morion.

Answer 4

a quartz crystal with a smoked tinge to it, to solid black, it is said that irradiation is what makes it grey to brown to black

Answer 5

Smokey Quartz

A very common, coarse-grained variety of the silica mineral quartz that ranges in colour from nearly black through smoky brown. No distinct boundary exists between smoky and colourless quartz. Its abundance causes it to be worth considerably less than either amethyst or citrine. Heating bleaches the stone, the colour sometimes passing through yellow; these yellow pieces are often sold as citrine. Crystals of the mineral frequently contain inclusions of gas (carbon dioxide), liquid (often both water and liquid carbon dioxide), or solids (rutile). Smoky quartz from Mount Cairngorm, Scotland, is known as cairngorm and is a favourite ornamental stone in Scotland, where it is worn in brooches with Highland costume. Its properties are those of other quartz stones. Today, the vast majority of smokey quartz is mined in Brazil, but it is found in most of the major gem producing nations.

Smokey quartz is quite often sold in the trade as smokey topaz. 99% of the time a gem offered as smokey topaz is actually this variety of quartz. Since topaz is a separate mineral, this type of name can be confusing and should be clearly disclosed as to which gem is actually being presented, since topaz also occurs in a brown color.

Quartz: Common Chameleon

If you gaze deep inside a crystal ball, you will see a versatile gemstone, one of the most popular gems on earth. Beautiful quartz, the "rock crystal" used in ancient times to make crystal balls and bowls, is today more often seen set in gold jewelry. Despite the popularity of quartz gems like amethyst, citrine, ametrine, rose quartz, onyx, agates, chrysoprase, rutilated quartz, and other quartz gemstone varieties, many people in the jewelry industry take quartz for granted because of its affordable price.

Throughout history, quartz has been the common chameleon of gemstones, standing in for more expensive gemstones ranging from diamond to jade. But the incredible variety of quartz is now beginning to be appreciated for its own sake.

Purple to violet amethyst and yellow to orange citrine are jewelry staples that continue to increase in popularity. Ametrine combines the appeal of both amethyst and citrine as well as both the purple and yellow in one bicolored gemstone. Other major colors include the brownish smokey quartz, pink rose quartz and colorless rock crystal quartz. Different colors and types of chalcedony, including agate, bloodstone, chrysoprase, black onyx have grown in popularity with the growing appreciation for carved gemstones and art cutting and carving. And unusual quartz specialties like drusy quartz, with its surface covered by tiny sparking crystals, and rutilated quartz, which has a landscape of shining gold needles inside, are adding variety and nature's artistry to unusual one-of-a-kind jewelry.
Quartz Family

Agate
Amethyst
Citrine
Ametrine
Rutilated Quartz
Smokey Quartz
Rose Quartz
Onyx
Bloodstone
Jasper
Gem Silica Chrysocholla

Other Varieties:

Grass Quartz
Chrysoprase
Dendritic Quartz
Aventurine
Oro Verde Citrine
Tourmalinated Quartz
Phantom Quartz




Color: From gray to warm brown, light and clear to an almost "solid" looking black/brown.
Metaphysical:

Smokey Quartz stimulates the cooperation of multiple energies toward a common goal. A wonderful stone for relationships, and for people in recovery who are part of a larger group, whether it be work, hobby, a home group, business group, or association.

It is a gentle grounding stone that instills balance and harmony, and can help bring peace to you, enhancing quiet reflection during meditation without the interference of the thinking mind.

This is not a quick energy stone, like Clear quartz crystal, but it has intense staying power to carry you over the long haul.

Combine Smokey Quartz with Clear Quartz for lots of positive energy towards obtaining your dreams and goals, and to energize them into being a reality.

Smokey Quartz helps to set aside willfulness and headstrong behavior. Smokey quartz has the ability to transform negative energy, and is particularly effective in dealing with anger and resentments. It is a stone that helps you be right here, in the moment.

It clears up communication difficulties, and helps to dissolve mental and emotional blockages that can get in the way of perception or learning.

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Calming - Smoky quartz is said to be excellent for alleviating panic attacks, anxiety, and nightmares.
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Grounding - Help you to be right here, in the moment
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Transforms negative energy
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Protective: Forms a barrier against negative energy around the user
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Regulates: Can be used to regulate creative energy, allowing it to flow smoothly step by step
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Finances: Helps one to make wise purchases, and mange money effectively
* Meditation stone evokes effort and makes us able to cope with hard times.
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Adult ADD - This gemstone's gentle and focusing energy helps to alleviate confusion. Smoky quartz also gently cleanses clutter of the mind to bring focus to task as well as meditation.
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Negativity: This gemstone also neutralizes negative energy as well as helps the wearer manifest dreams.

Physical -

Especially helpful with ailments of the hands and feet. Aids healing in the areas of back problems, dissolves cramps, alleviates pain and fortifies the nerves.

Vibrates to the numbers 2 and 8

Astrological Signs: Capricorn & Sagittarius


Hardness: 7

Corresponding Astrological Signs: Capricorn and Sagittarius

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoky_Quartz