Astrocyanite-(Ce) Mineral Data

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General Astrocyanite-(Ce) Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 951.38 gm

Lanthanum 2.92 % La 3.42 % La₂O₃

Cerium 1.47 % Ce 1.73 % Ce₂O₃

Praeseodymium 2.96 % Pr 3.47 % Pr₂O₃

Samarium 1.58 % Sm 1.83 % Sm₂O₃

Uranium 25.02 % U 28.38 % UO₂

Copper 13.36 % Cu 15.04 % Cu₂O

Hydrogen 0.78 % H 7.01 % H₂O

Carbon 6.31 % C 23.13 % CO₂

Neodymium 9.10 % Nd 10.61 % Nd₂O₃

Oxygen 36.49 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 94.62 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu₂Ce_0.1Nd_0.6La_0.2Pr_0.2Sm_0.1(UO₂)(CO₃)₅(OH)₂·2.7(H₂O)

Environment:

In the oxidation zone of the uranium-bearing portion of a Cu-Co deposit.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1990

Locality:

Kamoto-East Cu-Co mine, 5 km west of Kolwezi, Katanga Province, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the Greek for "star" and "blue" alluding to the star-like habit and blue color and the dominant Ce.

Name Pronunciation:

Astrocyanite-(Ce) + Pronunciation

Synonym:

IMA1989-032

Astrocyanite-(Ce) Image

Images:

Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Comments: Blue-green bladed astrocyanite-(Ce) crystals on black uraninite ore. Schumacher Collection.
Location: Kamoto East Open cut, Kamoto, Kolwezi, Western area, Shaba Cu belt, Shaba (Katanga), Congo (Zaïre). Scale: Picture size 2 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Astrocyanite-(Ce) Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.79545

Cell Dimensions:

a = 14.96, c = 26.86, Z = 12; V = 5,205.95 Den(Calc)= 3.64

Crystal System:

Hexagonal - Dihexagonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (6/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 6/mmm

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 6.73(1), 3.72(0.9), 4.16(0.6),4.3(0.5), 2.154(0.4), 2.488(0.4), 13.3(0.4),

Physical Properties of Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Cleavage:

{0001} Good

Color:

Blue, Bright blue, Blue green.

Density:

3.8

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to Opaque

Habit:

Rosette - Bundled tabular aggregates resembling rose flower petals.

Habit:

Stellate - Occurs as spherical, radial aggregates radiating from a "star" like point.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Luminescence:

Radioactive.

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Streak:

bluish white

Optical Properties of Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Dichroism (e):

nearly colorless.

Dichroism (w):

blue.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.054 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.1 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1821,KPDmeas= 0.1745,KC= 0.1656
Ncalc = 1.6 - 1.63

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.638, w=1.688, bire=0.0500.

Calculated Properties of Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.45 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Astrocyanite-(Ce) =3.80 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98

Photoelectric:

PE_{Astrocyanite-(Ce)}= 731.19 barns/electron
U=PE_{Astrocyanite-(Ce)} x r_electron=2,524.52 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 1,955,206.88 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Astrocyanite-(Ce) per GRapi unit = 511.45 (PPB)

Astrocyanite-(Ce) is Radioactive as defined in 49 CFR 173.403. Greater than 70 Bq / gram.

Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 10 cm box) 15.56 ± 3.89 grams of pure Astrocyanite-(Ce) .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 1555.7 ±388.92 grams of pure Astrocyanite-(Ce) .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Astrocyanite-(Ce)** - very strong
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Becquerels (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 7.95 cm	45,190,728	1.22E-03	1,955,206.88	642.81
100 gm / 3.69 cm	4,519,073	1.22E-04	195,520.69	64.28
10 gm / 1.71 cm	451,907	1.22E-05	19,552.07	6.43
1 gm / 7.95 mm	45,191	1.22E-06	1,955.21	0.64
0.1 gm / 3.69 mm	4,519	1.22E-07	195.52	0.06
0.01 gm / 1.71 mm	452	1.22E-08	19.55	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm	45	1.22E-09	1.96	0.00

Weight of pure Astrocyanite-(Ce) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.80 gm/cc.*
Goverment Estimate of Average Annual Exposure ( 360 mRem) **
Note: 10 microsieverts/hr = 1 mRem/hr **
Max Permissable Adult Dose 50,000 mRem/yr (hands), 15,000 mRem/yr (eyes)
Lethal Dose LD(50) Exposure 400,000 to 500,000 mRem
Estimated Thorium Activity ( 0.90 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (18.03 % REE)

Astrocyanite-(Ce) Classification

Dana Class:

16b.01.06.01 (16b)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen

(16b.01)where (A)m (B)n (XO3)p Zq, with (m+n):p=1:1

(16b.01.06)Dana Group

16b.01.06.01 Astrocyanite-(Ce) Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O) P 6/mmm 6/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

05.EF.05 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.E - Uranyl Carbonates

05.EF -UO2:CO3 = 1:5

05.EF.05 Astrocyanite-(Ce) Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O) P 6/mmm 6/m 2/m 2/m

Other Astrocyanite-(Ce) Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic5) PHYS. PROP.(AntBidBlaNic5) OPTIC PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.76,p665-671,1991)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Astrocyanite-(Ce) :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
8 - MinDAT
9 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
10 - Online Mineral Museum
11 - QUT Mineral Atlas
12 - Ruff.Info

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Ask about Astrocyanite-(Ce) here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Astrocyanite-(Ce) Specimen Label here :

Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O)
Dana No: 16b.01.06.01 Strunz No: 05.EF.05
Locality:

Notes: