Althupite Mineral Data
General Althupite Information
Chemical Formula:
ThAl(UO2)7(PO4)4(OH)5•15(H2O)
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 2,884.36 gm
Thorium 8.04 % Th 9.15 % ThO2
Uranium 57.77 % U 65.53 % UO2
Aluminum 0.94 % Al 1.77 % Al2 O3
Phosphorus 4.30 % P 9.84 % P2 O5
Hydrogen 1.22 % H 10.93 % H2 O
Oxygen 27.73 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 97.23 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
ThAl(UO2 )7 (PO4 )4 (OH)5 •15(H2 O)
Environment:
A secondary mineral in the uraniferous zone of an altered granite pegmatite.
IMA Status:
Approved IMA 1986
Locality:
At the Kobokobo pegmatite, Lusungu River district, Kivu Province, Congo (Zaire). Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
For the major cations in the composition, Aluminum, Thorium, Uranium, Phosphorus.
Name Pronunciation:
Althupite + Pronunciation
Synonym:
ICSD 202166
PDF 40-503
Althupite Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =0.5899:1:0.7273
Cell Dimensions:
a = 10.953, b = 18.567, c = 13.504, Z = 2; alpha = 72.64°, beta = 68.2°, gamma = 84.21° V = 2,421.27 Den(Calc)= 3.96
Crystal System:
Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1 ) Space Group: P1
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 10.2(1), 5.09(0.7), 5.8(0.5),
Physical Properties of Althupite
Cleavage:
{???} Good
Color:
Yellow.
Density:
3.9
Diaphaneity:
Transparent to Translucent
Hardness:
3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
yellow white
Optical Properties of Althupite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = -0.191 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = -0.179 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.1646,KPDmeas = 0.1663,KC = 0.1397 Ncalc = 1.54 - 1.55
Optical Data:
Biaxial (-), a=1.62, b=1.661, g=1.665, bire=0.0450, 2V(Calc)=34, 2V(Meas)=34.
Calculated Properties of Althupite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.39 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Althupite =3.94 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0042942437 Boson Index = 0.9957057563
Photoelectric:
PEAlthupite =1,718.60 barns/electronU=PEAlthupite x r electron =5,831.41 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 4,388,255.15 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Althupite per GRapi unit = 227.88 (PPB)
Althupite 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)
6.93 ± 1.73 grams of pure Althupite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size
(10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box)
693.14 ±173.28 grams of pure Althupite .
Estimated Radioactivity from Althupite - 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 / 7.86 cm
107,006,405
2.89E-03
4,388,255.15
1,442.71
100 gm / 3.65 cm
10,700,641
2.89E-04
438,825.52
144.27
10 gm / 1.69 cm
1,070,064
2.89E-05
43,882.55
14.43
1 gm / 7.86 mm
107,006
2.89E-06
4,388.26
1.44
0.1 gm / 3.65 mm
10,701
2.89E-07
438.83
0.14
0.01 gm / 1.69 mm
1,070
2.89E-08
43.88
0.01
0.001 gm / 0.79 mm
107
2.89E-09
4.39
0.00
Weight of pure Althupite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.94 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
Althupite Classification
Dana Class:
42.04.13.01 (42) Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
(42.04) where (AB)5 (XO4)2 Zq � x(H2O)
(42.04.13) Dana Group
42.04.13.01 Althupite ThAl(UO2)7(PO4)4(OH)5•15(H2O) P1 1
Strunz Class:
08.EC.25 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
08.E - Uranyl Phosphates and Arsenates
08.EC -UO2:RO4 = 3:2
08.EC.25 Althupite ThAl(UO2)7(PO4)4(OH)5•15(H2O) P1 1
Other Althupite Information
References:
NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Bull.Miner.,Vol.107-111,1984-1988) OPTIC PROP.(Bull.Miner.,Vol.107-111,1984-1988)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Althupite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - Uranium Minerals
16 - WWW-MINCRYST
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Althupite
ThAl(UO2)7(PO4)4(OH)5•15(H2O)
Dana No: 42.04.13.01 Strunz No: 08.EC.25
Locality:
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