When earthquakes squeeze quartz crystals, the mineral generates electricity that attracts gold particles. Pierre Longnus via Getty Images Earthquakes may help prospectors strike gold: When these ...

So far in this series, pretty much every material we’ve covered has had to undergo a significant industrial process to transform it from its natural state to a more useful product. Whether it’s the ...

Earthquakes may cause gold nuggets to form in quartz by generating an electric field that attracts gold dissolved in fluid forced up from deep underground. Enormous gold nuggets are often associated ...

Quartz crystals are difficult to knap due to size, hardness, and crystalline structure, making them a "low-quality" raw material. However, the Clovis people of North America sometimes made points and ...

Oct. 7 (UPI) --Scientists have gained new insights into crystal growth rates inside pegmatites, veinlike formations that host some of the planet's biggest crystals, as well as valuable elements such ...

We now use quartz-based crystals and their oscillators as standard components in nearly every design. There are countless versions available with different sets of specifications ranging from fairly ...