Sklodowskite Mineral Data

Sklodowskite Mineral Data +

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General Sklodowskite Information

Chemical Formula:

(H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 858.63 gm

Magnesium 2.83 % Mg 4.69 % MgO

Uranium 55.44 % U 62.90 % UO₂

Silicon 6.54 % Si 14.00 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.64 % H 14.69 % H₂O

Oxygen 33.54 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.27 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(H₃O)₂Mg(UO₂)₂(SiO₄)₂·4(H₂O)

Environment:

Oxidation zones of uranium ores, often associated with altered uraninite and with other secondary uranium minerals.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1924

Locality:

Kasolo, Katanga, Congo. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Marie Curie-Sklodowska (1867 - 1934), Polish-born French researcher of radioactive minerals. Discoverd the element radium.

Synonym:

Chinkolobwite

ICSD 1148

PDF 29-875

Sklodowskite Image

Images:

Sklodowskite

Comments: Yellow cotton-ball spray of acicular sklodowskite.
Location: Shinkolobwe mine, Tantara, Shaba, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Sklodowskite Kasolite

Comments: Greenish yellow, acicular sklodowskite crystals and yellow, bladed kasolite crystals.
Location: Kambove, (Kakanda) Mine, Katanga District, Shaba (Katanga), Republic of the Congo, (Za?re). Scale: Picture size 1 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Sklodowskite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.458:1:0.9331

Cell Dimensions:

a = 17.28, b = 7.03, c = 6.56, Z = 2; beta = 105.88° V = 766.49 Den(Calc)= 3.72

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 8.42(1), 4.19(0.8), 3.27(0.7),

Physical Properties of Sklodowskite

Cleavage:

[100] Perfect

Color:

Greenish yellow, Light yellow.

Density:

3.54

Diaphaniety:

Translucent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Luminescence:

Radioactive.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

yellow white

Optical Properties of Sklodowskite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.185 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.128 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1707,KPDmeas= 0.1794,KC= 0.1513

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.613, b=1.635, g=1.657, bire=0.0440

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

pale yellow.

Pleochroism (z):

yellow.

Calculated Properties of Sklodowskite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.31 gm/cc
note: r_Sklodowskite=3.72 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01004
Boson Index = 0.98996

Photoelectric:

PE_Sklodowskite=1,414.09 barns/electron
U=PE_Sklodowskite x r_electron=4,680.63 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,205,041.89 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Sklodowskite 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) 7.23 ± 1.81 grams of pure Sklodowskite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 723.34 ±180.83 grams of pure Sklodowskite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Sklodowskite** - 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 / 8.01 cm	99,244,062	2.68E-03	4,205,041.89	1,382.48
100 gm / 3.72 cm	9,924,406	2.68E-04	420,504.19	138.25
10 gm / 1.73 cm	992,441	2.68E-05	42,050.42	13.82
1 gm / 8.01 mm	99,244	2.68E-06	4,205.04	1.38
0.1 gm / 3.72 mm	9,924	2.68E-07	420.50	0.14
0.01 gm / 1.73 mm	992	2.68E-08	42.05	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm	99	2.68E-09	4.21	0.00

Weight of pure Sklodowskite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.72 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

Sklodowskite Classification

Dana Class:

53.3.1.3 (53)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups and Other Anions of Complex Cations

(53.3)with (UO2)

(53.3.1)Uranophane group

53.3.1.1 Kasolite Pb(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

53.3.1.2 Uranophane Ca(UO2)2SiO3(OH)2·5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

53.3.1.3 Sklodowskite (H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

53.3.1.4 Cuprosklodowskite Cu[(UO2)(SiO2OH)]2·6(H2O) P1 1

53.3.1.5 Boltwoodite HK(UO2)(SiO4)·1.5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

53.3.1.6 Sodium-boltwoodite (H3O)(Na,K)(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

53.3.1.7 Oursinite (Co,Mg)(H3O)2[(UO2)SiO4]2·3(H2O) Aba2,Abam Ortho

53.3.1.8 Swamboite UH6(UO2)6(SiO4)6·30(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

53.3.1.9 Uranophane-beta Ca[(UO2)SiO3(OH)]2·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/B.34-10 VIII - Silicates

VIII/B - Nesosub-silicates. "Insel" silicates with anions unfamiliar to tetraheders. Uranyl-"Insel" silicates with [UO2]2+ - [SiO4]4-

VIII/B.34 - Sklodowskite - Uranophane - Kasolite series

VIII/B.34-10 Sklodowskite (H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VIII/B.34-20 Cuprosklodowskite Cu[(UO2)(SiO2OH)]2·6(H2O) P1 1

VIII/B.34-30 Oursinite (Co,Mg)(H3O)2[(UO2)SiO4]2·3(H2O) Aba2,Abam Ortho

VIII/B.34-40 Uranophane Ca(UO2)2SiO3(OH)2·5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VIII/B.34-50 Uranophane-beta Ca[(UO2)SiO3(OH)]2·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

VIII/B.34-60 Boltwoodite HK(UO2)(SiO4)·1.5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VIII/B.34-70 Sodium-boltwoodite (H3O)(Na,K)(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

VIII/B.34-80 Kasolite Pb(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Sklodowskite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

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Sklodowskite

(H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O)
Dana No: 53.3.1.3 Strunz No: VIII/B.34-10
Locality:

Notes: