Thorianite Mineral Data

Thorianite Mineral Data +

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General Thorianite Information

Chemical Formula:

ThO2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 264.04 gm

Thorium 87.88 % Th 100.00 % ThO₂

Oxygen 12.12 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

ThO₂

Environment:

Pegmatites and alluvial deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1904

Locality:

Balangoda, Sabaragamuwa prov., Sri Lanka Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for its chemical composition containing thorium.

Synonym:

ICSD 67413

PDF 42-1462

Thorianite Image

Images:

Thorianite

Comments: Thorianite penetration twin.
Location: Huddersfield, Quebec, Canada. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Thorianite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.595, Z = 4; V = 175.15 Den(Calc)= 10.01

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F m3m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.234(1), 1.689(0.64), 1.98(0.58),

Forms:

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Crystal Structure:

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Wyckoff R W G , Crystal Structures , 1 (1963) p.239-444, Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York, Fluorite structure

Physical Properties of Thorianite

Cleavage:

[100] Imperfect, [010] Imperfect, [001] Imperfect

Color:

Brownish black, Green, Green black, Gray green, Yellow.

Density:

Diaphaniety:

Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Habit:

Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.

Hardness:

6 - Orthoclase

Luminescence:

Radioactive.

Luster:

Metallic

Streak:

greenish gray

Optical Properties of Thorianite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.237 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.237 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1274,KPDmeas= 0.1275,KC= 0.167

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=2.2-2.35.

RL Color:

Gray with red-brown internal reflections.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Thorianite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
400 nm	16.60
420 nm	16.60
440 nm	16.60
460 nm	16.50
480 nm	16.30
500 nm	16.00
520 nm	15.70
540 nm	15.40
560 nm	15.20
580 nm	15.10
600 nm	15.00
620 nm	14.90
640 nm	14.80
660 nm	14.70
680 nm	14.60
700 nm	14.50

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Thorianite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	60%	100%	120%	180%	240%	300%	360%	420%	480%	540%	590%
R

Calculated Properties of Thorianite

Electron Density:

r_electron=8.04 gm/cc
note: r_Thorianite=10.0 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00005
Boson Index = 0.99995

Photoelectric:

PE_Thorianite=2,302.30 barns/electron
U=PE_Thorianite x r_electron=18504.09 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 1,505,305.18 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Thorianite 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) 20.21 ± 5.05 grams of pure Thorianite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 2020.6 ±505.16 grams of pure Thorianite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Thorianite** - 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 / 5.76 cm	39,370,657	1.06E-03	1,505,305.18	494.89
100 gm / 2.67 cm	3,937,066	1.06E-04	150,530.52	49.49
10 gm / 1.24 cm	393,707	1.06E-05	15,053.05	4.95
1 gm / 5.76 mm	39,371	1.06E-06	1,505.31	0.49
0.1 gm / 2.67 mm	3,937	1.06E-07	150.53	0.05
0.01 gm / 1.24 mm	394	1.06E-08	15.05	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.58 mm	39	1.06E-09	1.51	0.00

Weight of pure Thorianite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 10.01 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

Thorianite Classification

Dana Class:

5.1.1.2 (5)Oxides Containing Uranium and Thorium

(5.1)with a cation charge of 4+ (AO2)

(5.1.1)Dana Group

5.1.1.1 Uraninite UO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

5.1.1.2 Thorianite ThO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

IV/D.31-50 IV - Oxides

IV/D - Oxides with metal : oxygen = 1:2 (MO2 and related compounds)

IV/D.31 - Badleyite - Uraninite series

IV/D.31-10 Baddeleyite ZrO2 P 2₁/c 2/m

IV/D.31-20 Tazheranite CaTiZr2O8 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/D.31-30 Calzirtite CaZr3TiO9 P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

IV/D.31-35 Hiarneite! (Ca,Mn,Na)2(Zr,Mn)5(Sb,Ti,Fe)2O16 I 4₁/acd 4/m 2/m 2/m

IV/D.31-40 Cerianite-(Ce) (Ce,Th)O2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/D.31-50 Thorianite ThO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

IV/D.31-60 Uraninite UO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Thorianite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic3)

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Thorianite

ThO2
Dana No: 5.1.1.2 Strunz No: IV/D.31-50
Locality:

Notes: