Carnotite Mineral Data

Carnotite Mineral Data +

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General Carnotite Information

Chemical Formula:

K2(UO2)2V2O8·3(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 902.18 gm

Potassium 8.67 % K 10.44 % K₂O

Uranium 52.77 % U 59.86 % UO₂

Vanadium 11.29 % V 20.16 % V₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.67 % H 5.99 % H₂O

Oxygen 26.60 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.45 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

K₂(UO₂)₂(VO₄)₂·3(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1899

Locality:

Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the French chemist, M. A. Carnot (1839-1920).

Carnotite Image

Images:

Carnotite

Comments: Bright yellow, fluorescent crystals of carnotite on sandstone.
Location: Anderson Mine, Yavapai County, USA. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Carnotite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.2449:1:0.8216

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.47, b = 8.41, c = 6.91, Z = 2; beta = 103.667° V = 591.22 Den(Calc)= 5.07

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/a

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 6.56(1), 3.12(0.7), 3.53(0.5),

Crystal Structure:

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Appleman D E , Evans H T , American Mineralogist , 50 (1965) p.825-842, The crystal structures of synthetic anhydrous carnotite, K2(UO2)2V2O8, and, its cesium analogue, Cs2(UO2)2V2O8

Physical Properties of Carnotite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

Yellow, Golden yellow, Greenish yellow.

Density:

3.7 - 4.7, Average = 4.2

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Pearly

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

light yellow

Optical Properties of Carnotite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.288 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.067 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1805,KPDmeas= 0.2179,KC= 0.1692

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.75-1.78, b=1.901-2.06, g=1.92-2.08, bire=0.1700-0.3000, 2V(Calc)=26-36, 2V(Meas)=43-60. Dispersion none.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Pleochroism (z):

none.

Calculated Properties of Carnotite

Electron Density:

r_electron=4.43 gm/cc
note: r_Carnotite=5.07 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00422
Boson Index = 0.99578

Photoelectric:

PE_Carnotite=1,373.99 barns/electron
U=PE_Carnotite x r_electron=6,084.53 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,928,699.75 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Carnotite 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) 7.74 ± 1.94 grams of pure Carnotite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 774.22 ±193.55 grams of pure Carnotite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Carnotite** - very strong
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Bequerols (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 7.22 cm	94,456,845	2.55E-03	3,928,699.75	1,291.63
100 gm / 3.35 cm	9,445,685	2.55E-04	392,869.97	129.16
10 gm / 1.56 cm	944,568	2.55E-05	39,287.00	12.92
1 gm / 7.22 mm	94,457	2.55E-06	3,928.70	1.29
0.1 gm / 3.35 mm	9,446	2.55E-07	392.87	0.13
0.01 gm / 1.56 mm	945	2.55E-08	39.29	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.72 mm	94	2.55E-09	3.93	0.00

Weight of pure Carnotite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.07 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

Carnotite Classification

Dana Class:

40.2a.28.1 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

(40.2a)where A++ (B++)2 (XO4) · x(H2O), containing (UO2)++

(40.2a.28)Dana Group

40.2a.28.1 Carnotite K2(UO2)2V2O8·3(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

40.2a.28.2 Margaritasite (Cs,K,H3O)2(UO2)2V2O8·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

VII/E.11-50 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/E - Uranylphosphates and uranylvanadates with: [UO2]2+ - [PO4 | AsO4]3- and [UO2]2+ - [V2O8]6-, uranyl-groupvanadates with [UO2]2+ - [V2O8]6-

VII/E.11 - Tyuyamunite series

VII/E.11-10 Vanuralite Al(UO2)2(VO4)2(OH)·11(H2O) A2/a 2/m

VII/E.11-20 Metavanuralite Al(UO2)2(VO4)2(OH)·8(H2O) P 1or P1 Tri

VII/E.11-30 Sengierite Cu2(UO2)2V2O8·6(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

VII/E.11-40 Strelkinite Na2(UO2)2V2O8·6(H2O) Pnmm,Pnm2 Ortho

VII/E.11-50 Carnotite K2(UO2)2V2O8·3(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

VII/E.11-60 Margaritasite (Cs,K,H3O)2(UO2)2V2O8·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

VII/E.11-70 Vanuranylite? (H3O,Ba,Ca,K)1.6(UO2)2V2O8·4(H2O)(?) C 2/c ? 2/m

VII/E.11-80 Tyuyamunite Ca(UO2)2V2O8·5-8(H2O) Pnan 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.11-90 Metatyuyamunite Ca(UO2)2V2O8·3(H2O) Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.11-100 Francevillite (Ba,Pb)(UO2)2V2O8·5(H2O) Pcan 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.11-110 Curienite Pb(UO2)2V2O8·5(H2O) Pcan 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Carnotite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Carnotite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - MinMax(Deutsch)
12 - MinMax(English)
13 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - Uranium Minerals
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Carnotite

K2(UO2)2V2O8·3(H2O)
Dana No: 40.2a.28.1 Strunz No: VII/E.11-50
Locality:

Notes: