Belakovskiite

Belakovskiite is a very rare uranium mineral with the formula Na7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3.[1][2] It is interesting in being a natural uranyl salt with hydrosulfate anion, a feature shared with meisserite.[4] Other chemically related minerals include fermiite, oppenheimerite, natrozippeite and plášilite.[5][6][7][8] Most of these uranyl sulfate minerals was originally found in the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, US.[9] The mineral is named after Russian mineralogist Dmitry Ilych Belakovskiy.[1]

Belakovskiite
General
CategorySulfate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		Na7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3
Crystal systemTriclinic
Crystal classPinacoidal (1)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupP1
Unit cella = 5.46, b = 11.33,
c = 18.42 [Å], α = 104.77°,
β = 90.09°, γ = 96.77° (approximated); Z = 2
Identification
ColorYellow-green
Crystal habitfibrous
CleavageNone
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness2
LusterVitreous
StreakWhite
DiaphaneityTransparent
Density3.31 (calculated); 3.23 (measured)
Optical propertiesBiaxal (+)
Refractive indexnα=1.50, nβ=1.51, nγ=1.52 (approximated)
PleochroismNone
2V angle88o (calculated)
Other characteristics Radioactive
References[1][2][3]

Association

Belakovskiite is associated with other sulfate minerals: meisserite, blödite, ferrinatrite, kröhnkite, and metavoltine.[1] This association is found as efflorescences on a sandstone associated with uranium mineralization.[3]

Crystal structure

The framework of belakovskiite crystal structure is a hexavalent cluster with composition (UO2)(SO4)4(H2O). Such clusters are connected via Na-O and hydrogen bonds.[1]

References
  1. Kampf, A.R., Plášil, J., Kasatkin, A.V., and Marty, J., 2014. Belakovskiite, Na7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3, a new uranyl sulfate mineral from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine 78(3), 639-649
  2. "Belakovskiite: Belakovskiite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  3. "Belakovskiite - Handbook of Mineralogy" (PDF). Handbookofmineralogy.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  4. "Meisserite: Meisserite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  5. "Fermiite: Fermiite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  6. "Oppenheimerite: Oppenheimerite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  7. "Natrozippeite: Natrozippeite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  8. "Plášilite: Plášilite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  9. "Blue Lizard Mine, Chocolate Drop, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan Co., Utah, USA - Mindat.org". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
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