Abstract
Quartz samples of different origin from 10 localities in the Southern Ural region, Russia have been investigated to characterize their trace element compositions and defect structures. The analytical combination of cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy and spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and trace-element analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) revealed that almost all investigated quartz samples showed very low concentrations of trace elements (cumulative concentrations of <50 ppm with <30 ppm Al and <10 ppm Ti) and low abundances of paramagnetic defects, defining them economically as “high-purity” quartz (HPQ) suitable for high-tech applications. EPR and CL data confirmed the low abundances of substitutional Ti and Fe, and showed Al to be the only significant trace element structurally bound in the investigated quartz samples. CL microscopy revealed a heterogeneous distribution of luminescence centres (i.e., luminescence active trace elements such as Al) as well as features of deformation and recrystallization. It is suggested that healing of defects due to deformation-related recrystallization and reorganization processes of the quartz lattice during retrograde metamorphism resulted in low concentrations of CL activator and other trace elements or vacancies, and thus are the main driving processes for the formation of HPQ deposits in the investigated area.
Highlights
Quartz and other silica minerals are some of the most important rock-forming minerals of theEarth’s crust, and are important industrial raw materials
High-purity quartz is of strategic importance for the high-tech industry, because it is a critical material for the manufacture of crucibles used for single crystal growth of silicon metal, high-temperature lamp tubing, telecommunications, optics, and semiconductor materials
Of the increasing demand for high-purity quartz (HPQ) there are increasing exploration activities underway to search for quality requirements of the quartz material are challenging with respect to potential deposits analytics due to the very low concentrations
Summary
Earth’s crust, and are important industrial raw materials. Owing to their abundance and physical and chemical properties, natural silica raw materials have a wide range of industrial and technological applications [1,2]. High-purity quartz (HPQ), with less than 50 ppm of contaminating trace elements [3,4], is of high economic value, resulting in prices up to 20 times higher than those of low-quality (“common”) silica raw materials [5,6]. Quality requirements of the quartz material are challenging with respect to potential deposits analytics due to the very low concentrations Uralregion regionnorthwest northwest of Potential high-purity quartz of Chelyabinsk (Russia) was investigated (Figure Table 1). The sample material includes quartz from a from a pegmatite, hydrothermal quartz veins, tectonically deformed and partially recrystallized pegmatite, hydrothermal quartz veins, tectonically deformed and partially recrystallized hydrothermal hydrothermal quartz, fromoccurrences.
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