Lepersonnite-(Gd)
Lepersonnite-(Gd) is a very rare rare-earth and uranium mineral with the formula Ca(Gd,Dy)2(UO2)24(SiO4)4(CO3)8(OH)24·48H2O. It occurs associated with bijvoetite-(Y) in the Shinkolobwe deposit in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, famous for rare uranium minerals. Lepersonnite-(Gd) is unique in being the only confirmed mineral with essential gadolinium.[1][3][4] It is named in honour of the Belgian geologist Jacques Lepersonne.
| Lepersonnite-(Gd) | |
|---|---|
-Studtite-Curite-201138.jpg.webp) Lepersonnite-(Gd) (flat crystals) intergrown in the yellow studtite clusters (needles) and orange curite. | |
| General | |
| Category | Carbonate mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Ca(Gd,Dy)2(UO2)24(SiO4)4(CO3)8(OH)24•48H2O |
| Strunz classification | 5.EG.10 (10 ed) 8/B.38-10 (8 ed) |
| Dana classification | 17.1.12.1 |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Crystal class | Pyramidal (mm2) and dipyramidal (mmm) |
| Space group | Pnnm or Pnn2 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Yellow (bright) |
| Crystal habit | needle-like crystals in crusts (mammilary) or spherules |
| Density | 3.97 (measured) |
| Optical properties | Biaxal (-) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.638, nβ = 1.666, nγ = 1.682 |
| 2V angle | 73° (calculated) |
| Other characteristics |  |
| References | [1][2][3] |
References
- Deliens, M., and Piret, P., 1982. Bijvoetite et lepersonnite, carbonates hydrates d'uranyle et des terres rares de Shinkolobwe, Zaïre. Canadian Mineralogist 20, 231–238.
- "Lepersonnite-(Gd) - Handbook of Mineralogy" (PDF). Handbookofmineralogy.org. Retrieved 2016-03-08.
- "Lepersonnite-(Gd): Lepersonnite-(Gd) mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- Gadolinium: The mineralogy of gadolinium - Mindat. org
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