Smoky quartz is found within intrusive igneous rocks like granite and can range in color from clear to black. Its coloration comes from trace amounts of radioactive elements within the quartz. Smoky quartz prices vary substantially depending on quality and size, from a few cents for low quality specimens up to over $1,000 for high quality large specimens. The most abundant smoky quartz deposits in northern Georgia are located in Hall and Fulton counties at sites like the Merck Mine and Daniels Prospect.
2. WHERE & WHAT?
Smoky Quar tz is generally found within pockets of intrusive
igneous rocks, such as granite and can appear to be any
shade between clear and black.
The coloration of Smoky Quar tz is the result of trace amounts
of radioactive elements contained within the quar tz – many
repor ts of Smoky Quar tz general ly turn out to be quar tz with
black and brown inclusions.
3. WHAT’S IT WORTH?
Smoky Quar tz can range in price from a few cents to over a
thousand dol lars, depending on the qual ity and size of the
specimen.
Inclusions, cracks, and cloudiness within the mineral wi l l al l
decease the value substantially.
The fol lowing pictures are examples of the prices dif ferences
between specimens:
4. $5.50
This 45.5 pound specimen is currently available to purchase
on eBay for the bargain opening bid of $2,999.99!!!
$74.26
$394.94
5. LOCAL DEPOSITS
The most abundant deposits of Smoky Quar tz in Nor thern
Georgia are located in Hal l and Fulton Counties.
8. GLOBAL DEPOSITS
THE MOST ABUNDANT DEPOSITS OF
SMOKY QUARTZ ARE LOCATED IN
EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA.
9. REFERENCES
Akhavan, A. (2012, Februar y 15) . The Quar t z Page. Ret r ieved September 30, 2014.
Akhavan, A. (Photographer ) . (2012) . Smoky Quar tz images [Photographs] , Ret r ieved
September 29, 2014, f rom: www.quar tzpage.de.
Cohen, Al v in J . (1989) : New data on the cause of smoky and amethyst ine color in
quar t z . Mineralogical Record 20, 365 -367.
Chudoba, K. F. (1962) : Some relat ions between the causes of amethyst , smoky quar t z ,
and ci t r ine colors as gi ven by modern science. Mineralogicheski i Sbornik (Lvov) , (16) ,
91-105.
Google Ear th ( Images) . (2014) . Smoky quar tz local i t ies. [Screenshots] , Ret r ieved
September 29, 2014, f rom: www.mindat .org.
Wanj infan200. (Photographer ) . (2014) . [Photograph] , Ret r ieved September 29, 2014,
f rom: ht tp://www.ebay.com/i tm/l ike/301308748718?lpid=82 .
Transact ions of the Amer ican Inst i tute of Mining Engineers . (1896) . New York Ci ty:
Publ ished by the Inst i tute.