[Spacetectonics (OP)]

12 years ago when at university,I have had an idea.Could quartz be the key to links  N,H,C,O.. to form the life?  The Idea was simple;

On the earth… magma and plate tectonics formed the minerals.Imagine quartz at the bottom of the oceans or at the plates(i.e Transform boundaries,Convergent boundaries-at the ocean ridges ;under high pressure and good chemical environment), it could well create enough electricity in a wide range for million of years!
A series of experiments starting in 1997 showed that early stages in the formation of proteins from inorganic materials including carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide could be achieved by using iron sulfide and nickel sulfide as catalysts. Most of the steps required temperatures of about 100 °C (212 °F) and moderate pressures, although one stage required 250 °C (482 °F) and a pressure equivalent to that found under 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) of rock. Hence it was suggested that self-sustaining synthesis of proteins could have occurred near hydrothermal vents

could we evolved from Quartz to complete the life cycle? And there we are, my candidate whom could possibly,touches those plates :

A) Links “the very fundamentals of the amino acids to create the DNA” even DNA itself could be an initiator to complete the evolution (it has same ability,see thee links); my runner has some other characteristics which are unique in their own kind:

B) It is the most abandoned mineral on the surface of the earth; it has an ability to create its own electricity
.
C) It ideally could work itself out when you drop it deep down into the oceans! Make an ideal environment for the H, N, C, and O to catch up!

D) It could stay down there for million of years unharmed as one of the toughest minerals on the planet earth!
what could run the show?good question ,here is the clue:

Piezoelectricity (pron.: /piˌeɪzoʊˌilɛkˈtrɪsɪti/) is the charge that accumulates in certain solid materials (notably crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA and various proteins) in response to applied mechanical stress. The word piezoelectricity means electricity resulting from pressure.Quartz is an essential constituent of granite and other felsic igneous rocks.Quartz crystals have piezoelectric properties: they develop an electric potential upon the application of mechanical stress.

 points: Ferroelectricity, Flexoelectricity,Magnetostriction,Photoelectriceffect,Piezoluminescence,Piezomagnetism,Piezosurgical,Piezoresistive effect.

The clay theory  -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_history_of_life
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_evolutionary_history_of_life
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectricity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoluminescence

[CliffordK]

I'm doubting that the piezoelectric effect of quartz found in rocks, stones, granite, and even quarts veins would be great enough or in the right place to create life.

I believe that much of the speculation about electricity and amino acids has to do with electrical discharges due to atmospheric friction.

[Spacetectonics (OP)]

In 2007, two MIT graduate students proposed the idea of installing piezoelectric flooring in urban areas. Dubbed "Crowd Farming," the idea was to install a flooring system that would take advantage of piezoelectric principles by harvesting power from footsteps in crowded places such as train stations, malls, concerts and anywhere where large groups of people move. The key is the crowd: One footstep can only provide enough electrical current to light two 60-watt bulbs for one second, but the greater the number of people walking across the piezoelectric floor, the greater amounts of power produced. It's not beyond the realm of possibility -- approximately 28,500 footsteps generate energy to power a train for one second .

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/house-music-energy-crisis1.htm

[Spacetectonics (OP)]

I'm doubting that the piezoelectric effect of quartz found in rocks, stones, granite, and even quarts veins would be great enough or in the right place to create life.

I believe that much of the speculation about electricity and amino acids has to do with electrical discharges due to atmospheric friction.

Fair enough!That has its own credit as well,but
I was thinking which one is more stable and constant (equally in wide range ) to be able to create an environment for Amino.A to grows!?