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Autunite Mineral Data

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General Autunite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2•10-12(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 986.26 gm
   Calcium      4.06 %  Ca    5.69 % CaO
   Uranium     48.27 %  U    54.76 % UO2
   Phosphorus   6.28 %  P    14.39 % P2O5
   Hydrogen     2.45 %  H    21.92 % H2O
   Oxygen      38.93 %  O
              ______        ______ 
              100.00 %       96.76 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2•12(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Secondary mineral associated with uraninite.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1852
Help on Locality: Locality: L'Ouche de Jau, St. Symphorien, and other places near Autun, Saone-et-Loire, France. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named for the locality.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Autunite Say AUTUNITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Lime Uranite
 

Autunite Image

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  Autunite

Comments: Fluorescent, tabular to platy, yellow green autunite crystals on matrix.
Location: Margnac, Haute Vienne, France. Scale: 1 cm.
© John Veevaert

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  Meta-autunite   Autunite

Comments: Corner of a meta-autunite crystal showing the dehydration of autunite (dark green) to meta-autunite (lighter yellowish green)..
Location: Daybreak Mine, Spokane County, Washington, U.S.A.. Scale: See Image.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Autunite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:2.95848
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 7.009, c = 20.736, Z = 2; V = 1,018.68 Den(Calc)= 3.22
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Tetragonal - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: I 4/mmm
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 10.3(1), 4.96(0.8), 3.59(0.7),
Help on Forms: Forms:

Mouse
Dbl Clk - Start-Stop Rotation
RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize

Keyboard
S - Stereo
I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu

Help on Above

Forms: ( 1 1 2) ( 1 1 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Physical Properties of Autunite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Perfect, {100} Poor, {010} Poor
Help on Color: Color: Yellow, Pale yellow, Lemon yellow, Greenish yellow, Pale green.
Help on Density: Density: 3.1 - 3.2, Average = 3.15
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.
Help on Habit: Habit: Foliated - Two dimensional platy forms.
Help on Habit: Habit: Micaceous - Platy texture with "flexible" plates.
Help on Habit: Habit: Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2-2.5 - Gypsum-Finger Nail
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Fluorescent, Short UV=green yellow, Long UV=green yellow.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous - Pearly
Help on Streak: Streak: pale yellow
 

Optical Properties of Autunite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.077 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.053 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1765,KPDmeas= 0.1804,KC= 0.1676
Ncalc = 1.52 - 1.54
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.553, b=1.575, g=1.577, bire=0.0240
 

Calculated Properties of Autunite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.94 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Autunite =3.22 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0037207887
Boson Index = 0.9962792113
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEAutunite =1,201.01 barns/electron
U=PEAutunite x relectron=3,529.03 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,754,512.44 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Autunite per GRapi unit = 266.35 (PPB)

Autunite 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) 8.10 ± 2.03 grams of pure Autunite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 810.14 ±202.53 grams of pure Autunite .

Estimated Radioactivity from Autunite - 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 / 8.40 cm 86,401,548 2.34E-03 3,754,512.44 1,234.36
100 gm / 3.90 cm 8,640,155 2.34E-04 375,451.24 123.44
10 gm / 1.81 cm 864,015 2.34E-05 37,545.12 12.34
1 gm / 8.40 mm 86,402 2.34E-06 3,754.51 1.23
0.1 gm / 3.90 mm 8,640 2.34E-07 375.45 0.12
0.01 gm / 1.81 mm 864 2.34E-08 37.55 0.01
0.001 gm / 0.84 mm 86 2.34E-09 3.75 0.00

Weight of pure Autunite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.22 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
 

Autunite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 40.02a.01.01 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc
  (40.02a)where A++ (B++)2 (XO4) � x(H2O), containing (UO2)++
  (40.02a.01)Autunite Group
 
40.02a.01.01 Autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2•10-12(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
40.02a.01.02 Meta-autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2•2-6(H2O) P 4/nmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
40.02a.01.03 Pseudo-autunite* (H3O)4Ca2(UO2)2(PO4)4•5(H2O)(?) Unk Ortho
 
40.02a.01.04 Sodium meta-autunite! Na2(UO2)2(PO4)2•6-8(H2O) P 4/nmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 08.EB.05 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
  08.E - Uranyl Phosphates and Arsenates
  08.EB -UO2:RO4 = 1:1
 
08.EB.05 Autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2•10-12(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.05 Heinrichite Ba(UO2)2(AsO4)2•10-12(H2O) P 2/c 2/m
 
08.EB.05 Kahlerite Fe(UO2)2(AsO4)2•10-12(H2O) P 41/n 4/m
 
08.EB.05 Uranocircite Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2•12(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.05 Novacekite Mg(UO2)2(AsO4)2•12(H2O) P 41/n 4/m
 
08.EB.05 Saleeite Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2•10(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.05 Xiangjiangite (Fe,Al)(UO2)4(PO4)2(SO4)2(OH)•22(H2O) C 2/c or Cc Mono
 
08.EB.05 Torbernite Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2•8-12(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.05 Uranospinite Ca(UO2)2(AsO4)2•10(H2O) P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.05 Zeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2•10-16(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.05 Metarauchite! Ni(UO2)2(AsO4)2•8H2O P1 1
 

Other Autunite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Autunite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - Philatelic Mineralogy
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info
17 - Uranium Minerals

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Autunite Specimen Label here :

Autunite

Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2•10-12(H2O)
Dana No: 40.02a.01.01 Strunz No: 08.EB.05
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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