All articles tagged with #quartz
Originally Published 6 months ago — by Earth.com
Geologists have discovered that earthquakes may play a crucial role in forming large gold nuggets by generating electric fields in quartz veins, which attract and deposit gold particles, potentially solving the long-standing 'gold nugget paradox' and opening new avenues for mineral exploration.
Originally Published 1 year ago — by TechSpot
Two mines in a small North Carolina town are the world's sole suppliers of ultra-high-purity quartz, essential for semiconductor chips. The mines' owner, Sibelco, is investing $700 million to expand capacity to meet the increasing demand driven by AI technology. The unique mineral deposits in Spruce Pine formed 380 million years ago and are crucial to the global semiconductor supply chain. The investment aims to double high purity quartz capacity and keep up with the growing demand for the product.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by ScienceAlert
The James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) has detected quartz nanocrystals in the upper atmosphere of WASP-17 b, an exoplanet located 1,324 light-years away. This discovery is surprising as exoplanets have traditionally been found to possess magnesium-rich silicates. The presence of quartz could provide new insights into the formation and evolution of exoplanet clouds and their atmospheres. The quartz crystals are much smaller than those found on Earth, with a diameter of only 10 nanometers. The extreme heat and low pressure on WASP-17 b allow solid crystals to form directly from gas. Further research will focus on determining the amount of quartz in the atmosphere and the activity of the clouds.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by SciTechDaily
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected evidence of quartz nanocrystals in the high-altitude clouds of the hot Jupiter exoplanet WASP-17 b, marking the first time silica particles have been spotted in an exoplanet atmosphere. The discovery provides new insights into how exoplanet clouds form and evolve, as well as the composition of exoplanet atmospheres. The quartz crystals, which are about 10 nanometers across, are formed directly from gas in the extreme conditions of the exoplanet's atmosphere. Understanding the composition of exoplanet clouds is crucial for understanding the overall environment of these distant worlds.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by NPR
California is taking action to protect workers in the countertop industry, particularly those who work with quartz, from developing silicosis, an irreversible lung disease caused by breathing in silica dust. The state has identified 77 sickened workers, with at least ten deaths and the need for lung transplants. The majority of affected workers are young Spanish-speaking Latino men who have emigrated from Central America. California's Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board is fast-tracking the development of new regulations to prevent dust inhalation, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is considering a ban on quartz countertops. Experts warn that this issue is not limited to California and estimate that around 100,000 people work in this industry across the United States.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Phys.org
Researchers have settled the debate on whether phonons can be chiral, a fundamental concept in physics. Phonons are quasiparticles that describe the collective vibrational excitations of atoms in a crystal lattice. Using circular X-ray light, researchers at Paul Scherrer Institute PSI showed that phonons can twist like a corkscrew through quartz, demonstrating chirality. This discovery could have important implications for the fundamental physical properties of materials, particularly in the field of topological materials.
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Kotaku
Ubisoft is set to release Assassin's Creed NFT figurines, which won't interact with the games themselves and have no pricing or release date yet. The move comes after the company's previous blockchain experiment, Quartz, was panned by fans and developers. Despite this, Ubisoft is still exploring the potential of NFTs, with some fans questioning why the publisher is involved at all.