No presente trabalho, foram investigadas propriedades de absorção óptica e termoluminescência para sete variedades de quartzo natural brasileiro (Azul, com enxofre, leitoso, rosa, verde, vermelho e preto). Para efeitos comparativos, empregou-se o quartzo hialino e o sintético, ambos na fase alfa. Ametista e citrino não foram estudados devido ao número grande de relatos na literatura destes materiais. A difração de raios-X mostrou que todas as variedades de quartzo estudadas possuem a mesma estrutura padrão de quartzo. A composição das amostras obtidas por Fluorescência de Raios-X e Espectroscopia de Massas com Plasma (ICP-MS), revelam a presença de Al2O3 e Na2O em todas as variedades além de concentrações de Ca, Zn, Zr e Ba. Os picos TL nas curvas de emissão são discrepantes das curvas usualmente encontradas na literatura, com picos em 1100C, 2200C e 3250C. Apenas o pico em 1100C é comum a todas as amostras. Em relação à forma das curvas de emissão também existe discrepância. O comportamento da intensidade TL em função da dose, para picos em 2200C e 3250C é singular para cada amostra, de forma que o comportamento linear-supralinear-sublinear é observado apenas nos picos em 2200C para amostras de quartzo azul e hialino. O pico em 3250C, apresenta em praticamente todas as amostras, um terceiro estágio de crescimento com a dose. Admiti-se que o segundo estágio, que é da supralinearidade, é causado pela criação de novas vacâncias de oxigênio pela radiação, o segundo estágio é seguido de outro não-linear. Aqui se propõe um modelo em que a radiação cria novas vacâncias, dentro do grupo de tetraedros SiO4, do qual se formou a vacância de oxigênio. O germânio, no presente trabalho, possui concentrações baixíssimas em amostras como o quartzo leitoso e quartzo com enxofre, de maneira que não apresenta correlação com o pico de 110°C, conforme descrito na literatura, pois ambas amostras apresentam intensos picos nesta região de temperatura. Estudos de absorção óptica revelam a existência de bandas de absorção em 620, 450 e 350nm. Conforme a literatura, estas bandas são causadas pela presença do alumínio, pois crescem rapidamente com a radiação, causando a transição do quartzo hialino para quartzo fumê. Ao se comparar com amostra de quartzo artificial, com concentrações de alumínio, próximas as do hialino, a amostra não apresentou as três bandas mencionadas anteriormente, de maneira que se pode concluir que o alumínio não é o responsável por elas. Conclui-se que, as sete variedades de quartzo do presente trabalho, apresentam propriedades TL e de AO muito singulares para cada variedade, ao contrário do que se espera ao analisar os difratogramas das amostras.

Thermoluminescence and optical absorption properties of seven varieties of natural Brazilian quartz, namely, blue, sulphurous, milky, pink, green, red and black quartzs, have been investigated. For comparasion measurements were carried out also on natural alpha and synthetic quartz. Since gemological amethyst and citrine have been studied by several authors, they were not included in this work. The X Ray diffraction analysis has shown that all seven varieties of quartz have a same crystal structure of a standard sample. X Ray fluorescence and Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis reveal Al2O3 and Na2O in all the quartz in fairly large amount, wich are essential in TL emission. Ca, Zn, Ba and Zr are also found in all the quartz samples, however several previous studies of silicate minerals indicated that they do not participate in the physical properties investigated. It is commonly known that a natural alpha quartz presents in its glow curve, 110, 220 and 325°C (sometimes replaced by 375°C) peaks. Except for 110°C peak, the two others are found is some variety but not in others. No explanation was found yet. The shape of glow curves also vary considerably from one variety to others. A striking result was obtained concerning TL response as function of radiation dose of 220°C (245°C in black quartz) and 325°C peaks. The linearsupralinear- sublinear, commonly observed in alkali halides, oxides, sulphates, etc. crystals are not observed in quartz samples except for 220°C peak in blue quartz and hyaline quartz. If linear and supralinear behavior are called first and second stage, the third stage in many of them is not sublinear, rather it keeps growing. In some cases, the first and second stages are strongly supralinear, sulphurous such as in quartz and pink quartz . In alkali halide crystal, for instance, the second stage is due to anion vacancy generated by radiation. In quartz it is due to generation of oxygen vacancy. For the third stage it is proposed that the radiation creates new oxygen vacancy in the group of SiO4 tetrahedron generating oxygen vacancy for the second stage. In the literature, one finds Ge being responsible for production of 110°C peak. The ICP-MS measurements has shown that Ge is found in all the varieties seven quartz, except in sulphurous one, but in less that 2 ppm concentration. Furthermore it was found that the 110°C peak intensity, in these quartz, has no correlation to Ge concentration, the 110°C peak has a huge intensity. Therefore, it is proposed that the oxygen removed from its normal site ends up in an intersticial position as neutral oxygen. The irradiation liberating e-h pairs enable intersticial oxygen to capture electron and became O- centre. This is the source of 110°C peak. The optical absorption spectra of alpha quartz, particularly of heavily irradiated one, show bands at 620, 450 and 350nm. They were attributed to aluminum. Similar result was found in alpha quartz, but the synthetic one with a comparable concentration of aluminum as in the natural alpha quartz did not present such bands, even after irradiation to 20 to 25kGy gamma rays. It was concluded that 620, 450 and 350nm bands are not due to aluminum. It was not found the impurities responsible for there bands. In conclusion, the seven varieties investigated, present quite different behaviour. Compared to that of the usual nature alpha quartz.