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Quartz

All articles tagged with #quartz

California targets engineered stone ban as silicosis cases surge

California is moving to ban the manufacturing and installation of engineered stone, such as quartz countertops, after a sharp rise in fatal silicosis cases among workers. The state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is expected to pass an emergency regulation in October, targeting materials with over 1% crystalline silica. This move follows a surge in cases from 31 in 2019 to 631 by mid-2026, disproportionately affecting male workers in Los Angeles County. The ban aims to prevent the inhalation of silica dust, which causes irreversible lung scarring and often requires lung transplants.

via New York Post|

#california #health-and-safety #lung-disease

technology19 days ago•4 min saved

Tissot's PRX Chronograph Quartz: Slim, Affordable and Ready to Wear

Tissot introduces a smaller, quartz-powered PRX Chronograph (PRX Chronograph Quartz) at 41mm x 11.65mm with a 1/10th-second readout and split-seconds, no display caseback, 100m water resistance, and three dial options (blue, black, silver) priced at $525—available now, offering a more wearable and affordable alternative to the $2,150 automatic version.

via Gear Patrol|

#affordable-watches #eta-powerdrive #prx-chronograph

us-news1 month ago•156 min saved

Silica Dust in Quartz Countertops Linked to 31 Deaths, California Health Officials Warn

A California Department of Public Health report finds that silicosis from silica dust in quartz countertop fabrication has sickened nearly 600 workers since 2019, with 65 requiring lung transplants and 31 deaths, prompting health officials to call for increased surveillance and preventative measures.

via The Daily Beast|

#california #health #quartz

health5 months ago•6 min saved

California weighs outright ban on engineered quartz to curb silicosis

California is considering banning the sale and installation of engineered quartz countertops to address a rising silicosis crisis among stone fabricators. While a 2024 rule tightened dry-cutting practices, health experts say it does not adequately protect workers, and a WOEMA petition asks regulators to ban the material, following Australia’s lead. The decision rests with the California Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board and could take years to implement; meanwhile industry groups argue that safety measures and amorphous silica alternatives render a ban unnecessary.

via Payday Report|

#california #engineered-stone #health

science1 year ago•4 min saved

Geologists Link Earthquakes to the 'Gold Nugget Paradox'

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.

via Earth.com|

#earthquakes #geology #gold-nuggets

technology2 years ago•3 min saved

"Exclusive: North Carolina Mines Sole Source of Semiconductor Quartz"

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.

via TechSpot|

#ai #north-carolina #quartz

astronomy3 years ago•3 min saved

"JWST Discovers Quartz Crystals in Exoplanet's Atmosphere"

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.

via ScienceAlert|

#astronomy #atmosphere #exoplanet

space-science3 years ago•8 min saved

Quartz Crystals Found in Atmosphere of Hot Jupiter Exoplanet

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.

via SciTechDaily|

#exoplanet #james-webb-space-telescope #quartz

health-and-safety3 years ago•3 min saved

"California Implements Safety Measures to Protect Countertop Makers from Lung Damage"

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.

via NPR|

#california #countertop-workers #health-and-safety

physics3 years ago•4 min saved

X-ray study settles debate on chiral phonons in quartz.

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.

via Phys.org|

#chirality #materials-research #phonons

gaming3 years ago•1 min saved

Ubisoft's Latest NFT Offering: Assassin's Creed's "Digital Soul"

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.

via Kotaku|

#assassins-creed #gaming #ghost-recon-breakpoint