Saleeite

Saleeite is a secondary uranium mineral occurring in the oxidized zones of uranium deposits, or as disseminations in carnotite-bearing sandstones. Its chemical formula is Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·10(H2O).

Saleeite
General
CategoryPhosphate minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)
Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·10(H2O)
Strunz classification08.EB.05
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Space groupMonoclinic 2/m
Unit cella = 6.951(3) Å, b = 19.947(8) Å, c = 9.896(4) Å, β = 135.17(2)°; Z=2
Identification
ColorLemon-yellow, straw-yellow, greenish yellow
Crystal habitCrystals are square plates, composite, flattened on {001}, with {001}, {100}, {120}, {012} (pseudotetragonal indices), to 2.5 cm; commonly in subparallel lamellar aggregates.
CleavageOn {001}, perfect; on {010}, {110}, indistinct
LusterAdamantine to waxy
DiaphaneityTransparent to opaque
Specific gravity3.27
Optical propertiesBiaxial (-) typically nearly uniaxial
Refractive indexnα = 1.554 - 1.559 nβ = 1.570 - 1.582 nγ = 1.571 - 1.585
Birefringenceδ = 0.027
PleochroismX = colorless; Z = pale greenish yellow
2V angle2V(meas.) = 0–61°
Ultraviolet fluorescencefluoresces bright lemon-yellow under LW UV, pale yellow under SW UV
Other characteristics Radioactive
References[1][2][3][4]

It was discovered in 1932 at Shinkolobwe, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is named for Belgian mineralogist Achille Salée (1883-1932), Professor at Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium. It was later determined that the Katanga mineral was meta-saleeite Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·8(H2O) and the type locality was assigned to the Weißer Hirsch Mine, Neustädtel, Schneeberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany.[5][2]

References

  1. Handbook of Mineralogy
  2. Mindat.org
  3. Saleeite Mineral Data
  4. Uranium Minerals
  5. Mrose, Mary E. (1950) American Mineralogist: 35: 525
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.