Smoky Quartz by Stephanie Pflumm

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Smoky Quartz appears to be a Quartz crystal that has cloaked its clear heart in a shroud of mystery. Even with today's sophisticated technologies a number of different texts offer an equally different number of explanations into what causes the pale to rich dark brown colors of the Smoky Quartz.

One point all geologists seem to agree on is that the smoky tinting of a clear Quartz crystal is caused by some form of natural radioactivity. From there opinions begin to divide over whether it is Aluminum, Nitrogen, Lithium, Carbon, organic matter (or none of the above) within the Quartz that has been exposed to radiation. My personal suspicion is that everyone is right.

Clear Quartz can be "smoked" manually by hitting it with gamma radiation in a reactor. This manufactured Smoky Quartz is almost a perfect black color. Natural Smoky Quartz can be a very pale topaz to a dark black brown. The darkest natural pieces have a special trade name, Morion. Crystals can be zoned (have areas of different colors), contain phantoms, inclusions, enhydros and terminate into a vast variation of points and twins.

All this variety may mean that sometimes plain clear Quartz are naturally radiated into Smoky crystals and sometimes Quartz specimens with minerals like Aluminum, Nitrogen, Lithium, Carbon or even organic matter inside are radiated into Smoky Quartz.

The color in a Smoky Quartz crystal is not stable and can be easily altered through heating. Even man-made smoky specimens can be turned clear again simply by exposing the crystals to high temperatures.

As a crystal, Smoky Quartz forms in much the same ways as clear Quartz; in pegmatites, vugs and geodes. However Smoky crystals have a few unique tendencies of their own. Two highly sought after examples of these unique terminations are the Smoky Quartz specimens known as an elestial and skeletal.

Elestials are a type of mass terminations along the face of a single crystal. The terminations are layered on the surface of the crystal in a sort of stair stepped fashion. While clear and milky Quartz do form elestial crystals, it is much more common among the Smoky relatives.

Skeletal Smoky Quartz resembles an elestial crystal on the outside, however on the inside is where the excitement is. The skeletal Crystal is hollow and will frequently contained trapped gases (such as Carbon Dioxide), water and even organic material. In clear, high grade specimens you can actually see the movement of the skeletal's contents. Geologists refer to these type of crystals as enhydros.

Various regions of the ancient world developed a distinct fondness for the mysterious Smoky Quartz. In Scotland, where it is the National Gemstone, they gave the crystal their own name, Cairngorm. The Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland are still famous for the beautiful pieces of Smoky Quartz found there. A large point sits on the country's national scepter. The court spiritualist for Queen Elizabeth I was known to use a large Smoky Quartz crystal ball.

The Swiss Alps are famous for their large crystals. A small mountain village called Goschenen exhibits one of the giant specimens in their small museum. They tell the story of a local mountaineer that gave his life to bring a 397 pound Smoky Quartz crystal down from the mountains through snow and frigid cold. Though he managed to get the massive Quartz home, he never recovered from his super human effort.

Besides Scotland and the Alps, gem quality Smoky Quartz is also found in the US, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Canada and Spain.

Early European cultures believed strongly in the Smoky Quartz protective energies. Soldiers were known to carry the gem into battle. Christians in Europe today still cherish crucifixes carved from taupe colored Quartz.

All Quartz is effective at creating protective shields, however Smoky Quartz can shield you from both outer and inner harmful energies. Protecting you from yourself. This gem encourages a stable environment allowing you to feel more secure and safe in your surroundings.

The crystal is extremely useful in meditation and trance work. It assists in maintaining a grounding point and helps to dissolve away distracting, worrisome thoughts so that you achieve your beta state sooner. Smoky Quartz allows you to accept information received during your work without imposing your own personal will and personality onto it.

If you live a high demand lifestyle with a stressful job and an active social life, Smoky Quartz makes a very supportive companion. The crystal builds your resistance to stress so that you are more able to cope and get the job done. It helps you to meet life's challenges with a spirited heart eager to overcome and triumph. This gem gives you the ability to separate what really matters from the junk in your life, allowing you to live more efficiently and with greater joy.

Business owners may find carrying a Smoky Quartz on buying trips will improve over all sales. This crystal will help you think more creatively about your business and aid you in perceiving trends sooner, so you buy smarter and sell more.

Healers may find that laying a Smoky Quartz crystal on an afflicted area will bring relief from pain. This is especially true for women suffering from menstrual cramps. It may also provide healing for some back injuries, especially muscle spasms. Many believe it will provide protection against the physical effects of radiation and possibly reverse damage done.

Smoky Quartz greatest health benefit may come from its ability to promote a stress free approach to life. A healthy, happy mind helps to create a healthier, happier body.

©Copyright 2005, Stephanie Pflumm, All Rights Reserved Worldwide. No portion of this newsletter may be reproduced without the written permission of the editor/founder, Stephanie Pflumm. Please feel free to share with a friend.