Silver layers were grown in quartz crystals by electrodiffusion from an anodic layer of AgNO3. Different experimental arrangements were employed in order to obtain such layers in a reproducible way. We performed DC ionic conductivity measurements on Z-cut and X-cut samples as a function of temperature in the heating up phase and as a function of time at the electromigration temperature. The metal structures and the quartz samples were analyzed by electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Based on the experimental results and on the observations a model, for the metal structure formation is proposed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.