Mineralogy Database

Astrocyanite-(Ce) Mineral Data

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General Astrocyanite-(Ce) Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 951.38 gm
   Lanthanum       2.92 %  La    3.42 % La2O3
   Cerium          1.47 %  Ce    1.73 % Ce2O3
   Praeseodymium   2.96 %  Pr    3.47 % Pr2O3
   Samarium        1.58 %  Sm    1.83 % Sm2O3
   Uranium        25.02 %  U    28.38 % UO2
   Copper         13.36 %  Cu   15.04 % Cu2O
   Hydrogen        0.78 %  H     7.01 % H2O
   Carbon          6.31 %  C    23.13 % CO2
   Neodymium       9.10 %  Nd   10.61 % Nd2O3
   Oxygen         36.49 %  O
                 ______        ______ 
                 100.00 %       94.62 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Cu2Ce0.1Nd0.6La0.2Pr0.2Sm0.1(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2�2.7(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: In the oxidation zone of the uranium-bearing portion of a Cu-Co deposit.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Approved IMA 1990
Help on Locality: Locality: Kamoto-East Cu-Co mine, 5 km west of Kolwezi, Katanga Province, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named from the Greek for "star" and "blue" alluding to the star-like habit and blue color and the dominant Ce.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Astrocyanite-(Ce) + Pronunciation Say ASTROCYANITE-(CE)
Help on Synonym: Synonym: IMA1989-032
 

Astrocyanite-(Ce) Image

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  Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Comments: Blue-green bladed astrocyanite-(Ce) crystals on black uraninite ore. Schumacher Collection.
Location: Kamoto East Open cut, Kamoto, Kolwezi, Western area, Shaba Cu belt, Shaba (Katanga), Congo (Zaïre). Scale: Picture size 2 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Astrocyanite-(Ce) Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:1.79545
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 14.96, c = 26.86, Z = 12; V = 5,205.95 Den(Calc)= 3.64
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Hexagonal - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (6/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 6/mmm
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 6.73(1), 3.72(0.9), 4.16(0.6),4.3(0.5), 2.154(0.4), 2.488(0.4), 13.3(0.4),
 

Physical Properties of Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {0001} Good
Help on Color: Color: Blue, Bright blue, Blue green.
Help on Density: Density: 3.8
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Translucent to Opaque
Help on Habit: Habit: Rosette - Bundled tabular aggregates resembling rose flower petals.
Help on Habit: Habit: Stellate - Occurs as spherical, radial aggregates radiating from a "star" like point.
Help on Habit: Habit: Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Radioactive.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous - Dull
Help on Streak: Streak: bluish white
 

Optical Properties of Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Help on Dichroism (e): Dichroism (e): nearly colorless.
Help on Dichroism (w): Dichroism (w): blue.
Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.054 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.1 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1821,KPDmeas= 0.1745,KC= 0.1656
Ncalc = 1.6 - 1.63
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Uniaxial (-), e=1.638, w=1.688, bire=0.0500.
 

Calculated Properties of Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.45 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Astrocyanite-(Ce) =3.80 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEAstrocyanite-(Ce) = 731.19 barns/electron
U=PEAstrocyanite-(Ce) x relectron=2,524.52 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 1,955,206.88 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Astrocyanite-(Ce) per GRapi unit = 511.45 (PPB)

Astrocyanite-(Ce) 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) 15.56 ± 3.89 grams of pure Astrocyanite-(Ce) .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 1555.7 ±388.92 grams of pure Astrocyanite-(Ce) .

Estimated Radioactivity from Astrocyanite-(Ce) - 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 / 7.95 cm 45,190,728 1.22E-03 1,955,206.88 642.81
100 gm / 3.69 cm 4,519,073 1.22E-04 195,520.69 64.28
10 gm / 1.71 cm 451,907 1.22E-05 19,552.07 6.43
1 gm / 7.95 mm 45,191 1.22E-06 1,955.21 0.64
0.1 gm / 3.69 mm 4,519 1.22E-07 195.52 0.06
0.01 gm / 1.71 mm 452 1.22E-08 19.55 0.01
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm 45 1.22E-09 1.96 0.00

Weight of pure Astrocyanite-(Ce) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.80 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
Estimated Thorium Activity ( 0.90 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (18.03 % REE)
 

Astrocyanite-(Ce) Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 16b.01.06.01 (16b)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen
  (16b.01)where (A)m (B)n (XO3)p Zq, with (m+n):p=1:1
  (16b.01.06)Dana Group
 
16b.01.06.01 Astrocyanite-(Ce) Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O) P 6/mmm 6/m 2/m 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 05.EF.05 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)
  05.E - Uranyl Carbonates
  05.EF -UO2:CO3 = 1:5
 
05.EF.05 Astrocyanite-(Ce) Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O) P 6/mmm 6/m 2/m 2/m
 

Other Astrocyanite-(Ce) Information

Help on References: References: NAME( AntBidBlaNic5) PHYS. PROP.(AntBidBlaNic5) OPTIC PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.76,p665-671,1991)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Astrocyanite-(Ce) :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - GeoScienceWorld
5 - Google Images
6 - Google Scholar
7 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
8 - MinDAT
9 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
10 - Online Mineral Museum
11 - QUT Mineral Atlas
12 - Ruff.Info

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Astrocyanite-(Ce) Specimen Label here :

Astrocyanite-(Ce)

Cu2(Ce,Nd,La)2(UO2)(CO3)5(OH)2•1.5(H2O)
Dana No: 16b.01.06.01 Strunz No: 05.EF.05
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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