<hw>Quartz</hw>, <i>n</i>. a mineral; the common form of native silica. It is abundantly diffused throughout the world, and forms the common sand of the sea-shore. It occurs as veins or lodes in metamorphic rocks, and it is this form of its presence in Australia, associated with gold, that has made the word of such daily occurrence. In fact, the word <i>Quartz</i>, in Australian mining parlance, is usually associated with the idea of <i>Gold-bearing Stone</i>, unless the contrary be stated. Although some of the following compound words may be used elsewhere, they are chiefly confined to Australia.
1871. C. L. Money, `Knocking About in New Zealand,' p. 21:
"Quartz is the mother of gold, and wherever there is an abundance of it, gold may reasonably be expected to exist somewhere in the neighbourhood."
1890. `The Argus,' June 16, p. 6. col. 1:
"Two runaway apprentices from a ship are said to have first crushed quartz."
1890. R. A. F. Murray, `Reports and Statistics of the Mining Department [of Victoria] for the Quarter ending 31st December':
"The quartz here is very white and crystalline, with ferruginous, clayey joints, and—from a miner's point of view—of most unpromising or `hungry' appearance."
<hw>Quartz-battery</hw>, <i>n</i>. a machine for crushing quartz, and so extracting gold.
1890. `The Argus,' July 26, p. 4, col. 4:
"There was a row [noise] like a quartz-battery."