Zeunerite Mineral Data

Zeunerite Mineral Data +

[Newest Minerals] [Equipment] [Analytical Services] [About Us] [Mineral Gallery] [eBay Store]
See Also: [Diamond Crystals] [Mineral News] [Hudson Institute] [Minerals on CDROM]
Rare Minerals, Meteorites, Equipment and Analytical Services
Excalibur Mineral Company, World leaders in the supply of rare species
Serving the scientific and collector communities since 1974

General Zeunerite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,061.59 gm

Uranium 44.84 % U 50.87 % UO₂

Copper 5.99 % Cu 7.49 % CuO

Arsenic 14.11 % As 21.65 % As₂O₅

Hydrogen 1.90 % H 16.97 % H₂O

Oxygen 33.16 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.99 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·10(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral in arsenate bearing uranium deposits. Dehydrates to meta-zeunerite in air at 65 deg C.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1872

Locality:

Weisser Hirsch mine, Neustadtel, Schneeberg, Saxony, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after Gustav Anton Zeuner (1828-1907), German physicist, director, School of Mines, Freiberg, Germany.

Zeunerite Image

Images:

Zeunerite

Comments: Thin, tabular crystals of Zeunerite on matrix.
Location: Cinovec, Erzgebirge, the Czech Republic. Scale: Picture size 0.5 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Zeunerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:2.93314

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.18, c = 21.06, Z = 2; V = 1,085.69 Den(Calc)= 3.25

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 4/nnc

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.59(1), 10.3(1), 5.2(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

Locock A J , Burns P C , The Canadian Mineralogist , 41 (2003) p.489-502, Crystal structures and synthesis of the copper-dominant members of the autunite, and meta-autunite groups: Tobernite, zeunerite, metatorbernite and metazeunerite

Physical Properties of Zeunerite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

Green, Green, Emerald green.

Density:

3.2 - 3.4, Average = 3.3

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Micaceous - Platy texture with "flexible" plates.

Habit:

Scaly - Morphology like fish scales.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Radioactive and Non-Fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

pale green

Optical Properties of Zeunerite

Dichroism (e):

none.

Dichroism (w):

none.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.176 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.194 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1867,KPDmeas= 0.1839,KC= 0.1564

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.576-1.623, w=1.585-1.643, bire=0.0090-0.0200.

Calculated Properties of Zeunerite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.95 gm/cc
note: r_Zeunerite=3.30 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00339
Boson Index = 0.99661

Photoelectric:

PE_Zeunerite=1,149.99 barns/electron
U=PE_Zeunerite x r_electron=3,396.04 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,420,590.63 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Zeunerite 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) 8.89 ± 2.22 grams of pure Zeunerite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 889.22 ±222.31 grams of pure Zeunerite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Zeunerite** - 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 / 8.33 cm	80,270,277	2.17E-03	3,420,590.63	1,124.58
100 gm / 3.87 cm	8,027,028	2.17E-04	342,059.06	112.46
10 gm / 1.80 cm	802,703	2.17E-05	34,205.91	11.25
1 gm / 8.33 mm	80,270	2.17E-06	3,420.59	1.12
0.1 gm / 3.87 mm	8,027	2.17E-07	342.06	0.11
0.01 gm / 1.80 mm	803	2.17E-08	34.21	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.83 mm	80	2.17E-09	3.42	0.00

Weight of pure Zeunerite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.30 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

Zeunerite Classification

Dana Class:

40.2a.14.1 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

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

(40.2a.14)Dana Group

40.2a.14.1 Zeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

40.2a.14.2 Metazeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·8(H2O) P 4/n 4/m

Strunz Class:

VII/E.01-80 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

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

VII/E.01 - Autunite group

VII/E.01-10 Trogerite H2(UO2)2(AsO4)2·8(H2O) P 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-20 Sabugalite HAl(UO2)4(PO4)4·16(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-30 Saleeite Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·10(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-35 Seelite-1 Mg[(UO2)(AsO3)x(AsO4)1-x]2·7(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-35* Seelite-2 Mg(UO2)(AsO3)x(AsO4)1-x·7(H2O)(x=0.7) C 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-40 Novacekite Mg(UO2)2(AsO4)2·12(H2O) P 4₁/n 4/m

VII/E.01-50 Kahlerite Fe(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-12(H2O) P 4₁/n 4/m

VII/E.01-60 Fritzscheite Mn(UO2)2[(V,P)O4]2·4(H2O) Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-70 Torbernite Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2·8-12(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-80 Zeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-90 Autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2·10-12(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-100 Uranospinite Ca(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-110 Uranocircite Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2·12(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-120 Heinrichite Ba(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-12(H2O) IA/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-130 Sodium-autunite Na2(UO2)2(PO4)2·8(H2O) P 4/nmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Other Zeunerite Information

References:

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

Search for Zeunerite using:

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

Visit our Advertisers for Zeunerite :
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 Zeunerite Mineral Data :

Ask about Zeunerite 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 Zeunerite Specimen Label here :

Zeunerite

Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O)
Dana No: 40.2a.14.1 Strunz No: VII/E.01-80
Locality:

Notes: