Gems that sparked diamond-rush in South Africa turn out to be quartz

Diamonds aren’t forever: Gems that sparked diamond-rush in South Africa turn out to be quartz Thousands rushed to a hillside after a cattle herder thought he found diamonds Government sent geoscientists and mining experts to collect testing samples Initial findings show the gemstones are quartz, an inexpensive mineral By Jack Newman For Mailonline and Afp Published: … Read more

Trendy quartz kitchen and bathroom counter tops ‘fuel resurgence in oldest occupational disease’

The fashion craze for trendy quartz kitchen and bathroom counter tops is putting workmen at risk of a ‘new asbestos’ disease that can lead to chest infections, heart failure and lung cancer.   Almost 40 per cent of masons who worked on the stone developed lung problems nine years afterwards, even if they had moved jobs, … Read more