Aluminum and germanium paramagnetic centers in vein quartz and rock crystals from the Subpolar Urals

Abstract

The major economic types of vein quartz and rock crystals from the Subpolar Urals were studied using electron paramagnetic resonance. Quartz is characterized by widely variable concentrations of aluminum and germanium paramagnetic centers. The average values and ranges of these concentrations increase from older to younger generations of quartz. The lowest content of aluminum and germanium paramagnetic centers is typical of granulated and primary fine-grained quartz; in coarse-grained quartz and rock crystals, the content is much higher. According to the data obtained, granulated and primary fine-grained quartz should be regarded as a potentially high-quality raw material for glass melting, because these quartz varieties are distinguished by the lowest contents of alien structural centers. Once mineral impurities eliminated, high-quality quartz concentrate can be produced from this quartz.