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Bassetite Mineral Data

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General Bassetite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: Fe++(UO2)2(PO4)2•8(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 929.97 gm
   Uranium     51.19 %  U    58.07 % UO2
   Iron         6.01 %  Fe    7.73 % FeO
   Phosphorus   6.66 %  P    15.26 % P2O5
   Hydrogen     1.73 %  H    15.50 % H2O
   Oxygen      34.41 %  O
              ______        ______ 
              100.00 %       96.56 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Fe2+(UO2)2(PO4)2•8(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Occurs as a rare secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of some uranium-bearing hydrothermal mineral deposits.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1915
Help on Locality: Locality: In England, from the Basset group of mines, Illogan, and the South Terras mine, St. Stephen-in-Brannel, Cornwall. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: For the Basset mine group, Cornwall, England, from which it was first described.
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Bassetite + Pronunciation Say BASSETITE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Iron uralite
  Kithilite
 

Bassetite Image

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  Bassetite

Comments: Bright yellow, bladed crystals of bassetite.
Location: Capoterra, near Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy. Scale: Size Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Bassetite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.4089:1:0.4106
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 6.98, b = 17.07, c = 7.01, Z = 2; beta = 90.53° V = 835.20 Den(Calc)= 3.70
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 21/m
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 8.616(1), 2.2162(0.96), 3.4818(0.76),
 

Physical Properties of Bassetite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {010} Perfect
Help on Color: Color: Bronze, Brownish yellow, Greenish brown, Yellow, Olive green.
Help on Density: Density: 3.63
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2.5 - Finger Nail
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: greenish white
 

Optical Properties of Bassetite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.097 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.076 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1649,KPDmeas= 0.168,KC= 0.1532
Ncalc = 1.56 - 1.57
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (?), a=1.603, b=1.61, g=1.617, bire=0.0140, 2V(Calc)=88, 2V(Meas)=90.
 

Calculated Properties of Bassetite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.31 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Bassetite =3.70 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0051266163
Boson Index = 0.9948733837
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEBassetite =1,300.50 barns/electron
U=PEBassetite x relectron=4,304.94 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,903,744.05 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Bassetite per GRapi unit = 256.16 (PPB)

Bassetite 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) 7.79 ± 1.95 grams of pure Bassetite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 779.17 ±194.79 grams of pure Bassetite .

Estimated Radioactivity from Bassetite - 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 / 8.02 cm 91,631,545 2.48E-03 3,903,744.05 1,283.42
100 gm / 3.72 cm 9,163,155 2.48E-04 390,374.40 128.34
10 gm / 1.73 cm 916,315 2.48E-05 39,037.44 12.83
1 gm / 8.02 mm 91,632 2.48E-06 3,903.74 1.28
0.1 gm / 3.72 mm 9,163 2.48E-07 390.37 0.13
0.01 gm / 1.73 mm 916 2.48E-08 39.04 0.01
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm 92 2.48E-09 3.90 0.00

Weight of pure Bassetite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.70 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
 

Bassetite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 40.02a.16.01 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc
  (40.02a)where A++ (B++)2 (XO4) � x(H2O), containing (UO2)++
  (40.02a.16)Dana Group
 
40.02a.16.01 Bassetite Fe(UO2)2(PO4)2•8(H2O) P 21/m 2/m
 
40.02a.16.02 Lehnerite Mn[UO2/PO4]2•8(H2O) P 21/n 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 08.EB.10 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
  08.E - Uranyl Phosphates and Arsenates
  08.EB -UO2:RO4 = 1:1
 
08.EB.10 Bassetite Fe(UO2)2(PO4)2•8(H2O) P 21/m 2/m
 
08.EB.10 Lehnerite Mn[UO2/PO4]2•8(H2O) P 21/n 2/m
 
08.EB.10 Metazeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2•8(H2O) P 4/n 4/m
 
08.EB.10 Meta-autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2•2-6(H2O) P 4/nmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.10 Metauranocircite Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2•6-8(H2O) P 21 2
 
08.EB.10 Metauranospinite Ca(UO2)2(AsO4)2•8(H2O) P 4/nmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.10 Metaheinrichite Ba(UO2)2(AsO4)2•8(H2O) P 21 2
 
08.EB.10 Metakahlerite Fe(UO2)2(AsO4)2•8(H2O) P 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.10 Metakirchheimerite Co(UO2)2(AsO4)2•8(H2O) P 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m
 
08.EB.10 Metalodevite Zn(UO2)2(AsO4)2•10(H2O) P 41/m 4/m
 
08.EB.10 Metanovacekite Mg(UO2)2(AsO4)2•4-8(H2O) P 4/n 4/m
 
08.EB.10 Metatorbernite Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2•8(H2O) P 4/n 4/m
 
08.EB.10 Przhevalskite Pb(UO2)2(PO4)2•4(H2O) Unk Tetra
 

Other Bassetite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Bassetite :
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

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

Bassetite

Fe++(UO2)2(PO4)2•8(H2O)
Dana No: 40.02a.16.01 Strunz No: 08.EB.10
Locality:

 

Notes:

 

 
   
 


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