Uranosphaerite Mineral Data

Uranosphaerite Mineral Data +

[What's New] [Mineral Galleries] [Sale Items] [About Us] [Contacts]
At AA Mineral Specimens, we source quality Mineral Specimens, Fossils, Gemstones,
Decorative Stones, Lapidary Material and Specimen Sets world-wide

General Uranosphaerite Information

Chemical Formula:

Bi(UO2)O2(OH)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 528.01 gm

Uranium 45.08 % U 51.14 % UO₂

Bismuth 39.58 % Bi 44.12 % Bi₂O₃

Hydrogen 0.19 % H 1.71 % H₂O

Oxygen 15.15 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.97 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Bi(UO₂)O₂(OH)

Environment:

Oxidic zone of "gummite" alteration of uraninite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1873

Locality:

Shinkolobwe, Shaba, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the compostition uranium and the Greek for sphere, in allusion to its globular forms.

Uranosphaerite Image

Images:

Uranosphaerite

Comments: Yellow-orange earthy uranosphaerite crusts.
Location: Kersegalec en Lignol, Vendee, France. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Uranosphaerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9677:1:0.9848

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.559, b = 7.811, c = 7.693, Z = 4; beta = 92.88° V = 453.65 Den(Calc)= 7.73

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.16(1), 1.83(0.8), 3.87(0.7),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Hughes K-A , Burns P C , Kolitsch U , The Canadian Mineralogist , 41 (2003) p.677-685, Crystal structure and crystal chemistry of uranosphaerite, Bi(UO2)O2OH, Note: natural sample, Locality: Clara barite and fluorite mine, Black Forest, Germany

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Uranosphaerite
[1]

Physical Properties of Uranosphaerite

Cleavage:

[001] Good

Color:

Orange, Red orange, Brick red.

Density:

6.36

Habit:

Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Luster:

Greasy (Oily)

Streak:

yellow

Optical Properties of Uranosphaerite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.263 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.04 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1294,KPDmeas= 0.1572,KC= 0.1244

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.959, b=1.981, g=2.06, bire=0.1010, 2V(Calc)=58, 2V(Meas)=56. Dispersion strong, r < v.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Pleochroism (z):

none.

Calculated Properties of Uranosphaerite

Electron Density:

r_electron=6.32 gm/cc
note: r_{Uranosphaerite}=7.73 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00331
Boson Index = 0.99669

Photoelectric:

PE_{Uranosphaerite}=2,028.56 barns/electron
U=PE_{Uranosphaerite} x r_electron=12829.37 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,143,806.03 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Uranosphaerite 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) 9.68 ± 2.42 grams of pure Uranosphaerite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 967.51 ±241.88 grams of pure Uranosphaerite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Uranosphaerite** - 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 / 6.27 cm	80,693,218	2.18E-03	3,143,806.03	1,033.58
100 gm / 2.91 cm	8,069,322	2.18E-04	314,380.60	103.36
10 gm / 1.35 cm	806,932	2.18E-05	31,438.06	10.34
1 gm / 6.27 mm	80,693	2.18E-06	3,143.81	1.03
0.1 gm / 2.91 mm	8,069	2.18E-07	314.38	0.10
0.01 gm / 1.35 mm	807	2.18E-08	31.44	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.63 mm	81	2.18E-09	3.14	0.00

Weight of pure Uranosphaerite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 7.73 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

Uranosphaerite Classification

Dana Class:

5.9.1.1 (5)Oxides Containing Uranium and Thorium

(5.9)with a cation charge of 6+ containing Pb or Bi and some water of hydration or hydroxyl

(5.9.1)Dana Group

5.9.1.1 Uranosphaerite Bi(UO2)O2(OH) P 2₁/n 2/m

Strunz Class:

IV/H.08-10 IV - Oxides

IV/H - Uranyl ([UO2]2+) hydroxides and hydrates

IV/H.08 - Uranosphaerite series

IV/H.08-10 Uranosphaerite Bi(UO2)O2(OH) P 2₁/n 2/m

Other Uranosphaerite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8, CanMin v 41, p 677) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

Search for Uranosphaerite using:

[ALTAVISTA] [AOL] [About.com] [All-The-Web] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [LookSmart] [MAMMA] [MSN.COM] [Netscape] [Teoma] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Uranosphaerite :
AA Mineral Specimens
B and L Minerals
Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals
Dan Weinrich Auctions
e-Rocks Auctions
Excalibur Minerals
Exceptional Minerals
Fabre Minerals
Greenside Minerals
John Betts Fine Minerals
Masons Minerals
Minernet.it
Mineral News
Mineral of the Month Club
MineralsWeb Fine Minerals
Rockshop.cz Kalat Fine Minerals
T G Fine Minerals
Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Uranosphaerite Mineral Data :

Ask about Uranosphaerite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Uranosphaerite Specimen Label here :

Uranosphaerite

Bi(UO2)O2(OH)
Dana No: 5.9.1.1 Strunz No: IV/H.08-10
Locality:

Notes: