Thorite Mineral Data

Thorite Mineral Data +

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General Thorite Information

Chemical Formula:

ThSiO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 324.12 gm

Thorium 71.59 % Th 81.46 % ThO₂

Silicon 8.67 % Si 18.54 % SiO₂

Oxygen 19.74 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Th(SiO₄)

Environment:

Augite-syenite rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1829

Locality:

Island of Lovo, Norway Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the presence of the element Thorium, a highly radioactive material.

Synonym:

ICSD 1615

Orangite

PDF 11-419

Thorite Image

Images:

Thorite

Comments: Brown crude crystal of thorite var. uranothorite with still visible termination on both ends. Mildly radioactive.
Location: Kemp Uranium Mine, Cheddar, Cardiff Township, Haliburton Co., Ontario, Canada. Scale: 15x14x13 mm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Images:

Thorite

Comments: Several small, black cubic crystals of thorite.
Location: Balangoda, Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa province, Sri Lanka. Scale: Picture size 0.8 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Thorite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.8845

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.117, c = 6.295, Z = 4; V = 318.85 Den(Calc)= 6.75

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: I 4₁/amd

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.53(1), 4.69(0.9), 2.65(0.8),

Crystal Structure:

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Fuchs L H , Gebert E , American Mineralogist , 43 (1958) p.243-248, X-ray studies of synthetic coffinite, thorite and uranothorites

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Thorite
[1]

Physical Properties of Thorite

Cleavage:

[110] Poor

Color:

Brownish yellow, Brownish black, Yellow, Dark brown, Orange.

Density:

4 - 6.7, Average = 5.35

Diaphaniety:

Subtransparent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

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

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Habit:

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

Hardness:

5 - Apatite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Resinous

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

light brown

Optical Properties of Thorite

Dichroism (e):

none.

Dichroism (w):

none.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.136 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.315 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1196,KPDmeas= 0.1509,KC= 0.1746

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.78-1.82, w=1.79-1.84, bire=0.0100-0.0200.

Calculated Properties of Thorite

Electron Density:

r_electron=4.49 gm/cc
note: r_Thorite=5.35 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00414
Boson Index = 0.99586

Photoelectric:

PE_Thorite=1,794.84 barns/electron
U=PE_Thorite x r_electron=8,058.25 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 1,281,657.29 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Thorite 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) 23.73 ± 5.93 grams of pure Thorite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 2373.2 ±593.31 grams of pure Thorite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Thorite** - 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 / 7.09 cm	32,072,280	8.67E-04	1,281,657.29	421.37
100 gm / 3.29 cm	3,207,228	8.67E-05	128,165.73	42.14
10 gm / 1.53 cm	320,723	8.67E-06	12,816.57	4.21
1 gm / 7.09 mm	32,072	8.67E-07	1,281.66	0.42
0.1 gm / 3.29 mm	3,207	8.67E-08	128.17	0.04
0.01 gm / 1.53 mm	321	8.67E-09	12.82	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.71 mm	32	8.67E-10	1.28	0.00

Weight of pure Thorite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.35 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

Thorite Classification

Dana Class:

51.5.2.3 (51)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups Only

(51.5)with cations in >[6] coordination

(51.5.2)Zircon group

51.5.2.1 Zircon ZrSiO4 I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.5.2.2 Hafnon HfSiO4 I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.5.2.3 Thorite ThSiO4 I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.5.2.4 Coffinite U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.5.2.5 Thorogummite Th(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/A.09-30 VIII - Silicates

VIII/A - Nesosilicates with [SiO4]4-groups, cations of octahedral and cubic orientation [8+6]

VIII/A.09 - Zircon - Thorogummite series

VIII/A.09-05 Reidite! ZrSiO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

VIII/A.09-10 Zircon ZrSiO4 I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

VIII/A.09-20 Hafnon HfSiO4 I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

VIII/A.09-30 Thorite ThSiO4 I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

VIII/A.09-40 Coffinite U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

VIII/A.09-50 Thorogummite Th(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 4₁/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

Other Thorite Information

References:

NAME( Mason68) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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Thorite

ThSiO4
Dana No: 51.5.2.3 Strunz No: VIII/A.09-30
Locality:

Notes: