Uranopilite Mineral Data

General Uranopilite Information

Chemical Formula:

[(UO2)6(SO4)O2(OH)6(H2O)6]•8(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,102.49 gm

Uranium 67.93 % U 77.06 % UO₂

Hydrogen 1.63 % H 14.57 % H₂O

Sulfur 1.53 % S 3.81 % SO₃

Oxygen 28.92 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 95.43 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(UO₂)₆(SO₄)O₂(OH)₆(H₂O)₆•8(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral found on altering uraninite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1882

Locality:

Jachymov, Bohemia, Czech Republic. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for uranium and the Greek for "felt", alluding to the composition and habit.

Name Pronunciation:

Uranopilite + Pronunciation

Uranopilite Image

Images:

Zippeite Uranopilite

Comments: Bright yellow uranopilite and reddish brown zippeite encrustations on uranium ore.
Location: Happy Jack Mine, White Canyon, Utah. Scale: 3 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Uranopilite

Comments: Bright yellow crystalline uranopilite aggregate of prismatic microcrystals.
Location: Jachymov, Northwestern Bohemia, Zapadocesky, Czech Republic. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Uranopilite Johannite

Comments: Bright yellow rosettes of uranopilite with pale greenish yellow johannite on matrix.
Location: Apex Mine, Lander Co., Nevada, USA. Scale: Picture size 0.5 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Images:

Johannite Uranopilite

Comments: Green aggregates of minute, acicular johannite and yellow uranopilite and clear, tabular aragonite crystals on matrix.
Location: Apex Mine, Lander Co., Nevada, USA. Scale: Picture size 1.5 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Uranopilite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.6341:1:1.022

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.896, b = 14.029, c = 14.339, Z = 2; alpha = 96.61°, beta = 98.472°, gamma = 99.802° V = 1,732.58 Den(Calc)= 4.03

Crystal System:

Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 7.12(1), 4.28(0.8), 9.18(0.8),

Physical Properties of Uranopilite

Cleavage:

{010} Perfect

Color:

Lemon, Straw yellow.

Density:

3.7 - 4, Average = 3.85

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Reniform - "Kidney like" in shape (e.g.. hematite).

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, Short UV=bright greenish yellow, Long UV=bright greenish yellow.

Luster:

Silky

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Optical Properties of Uranopilite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.222 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.162 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1549,KPDmeas= 0.1629,KC= 0.1333
Ncalc = 1.49 - 1.54

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.623, b=1.625, g=1.634, bire=0.0110, 2V(Calc)=52, 2V(Meas)=large. Dispersion r > v to r < v extreme.

Calculated Properties of Uranopilite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.49 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Uranopilite =4.05 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0051464362
Boson Index = 0.9948535638

Photoelectric:

PE_Uranopilite=1,788.33 barns/electron
U=PE_Uranopilite x r_electron=6,242.04 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,990,067.44 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Uranopilite per GRapi unit = 200.40 (PPB)

Uranopilite 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) 6.10 ± 1.52 grams of pure Uranopilite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 609.54 ±152.39 grams of pure Uranopilite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Uranopilite** - 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 / 7.78 cm	121,590,808	3.29E-03	4,990,067.44	1,640.57
100 gm / 3.61 cm	12,159,081	3.29E-04	499,006.74	164.06
10 gm / 1.68 cm	1,215,908	3.29E-05	49,900.67	16.41
1 gm / 7.78 mm	121,591	3.29E-06	4,990.07	1.64
0.1 gm / 3.61 mm	12,159	3.29E-07	499.01	0.16
0.01 gm / 1.68 mm	1,216	3.29E-08	49.90	0.02
0.001 gm / 0.78 mm	122	3.29E-09	4.99	0.00

Weight of pure Uranopilite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 4.05 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

Uranopilite Classification

Dana Class:

31.02.06.01 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.02)where (A+ B++)6 (XO4) Zq�x(H2O)

(31.02.06)Dana Group

31.02.06.01 Uranopilite [(UO2)6(SO4)O2(OH)6(H2O)6]•8(H2O) P1 1

31.02.06.02 Jachymovite! (UO2)8(SO4)(OH)14•13(H2O) P 2₁,P 2₁/m Mono

Strunz Class:

07.EA.05 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.E - Uranyl Sulfates

07.EA -Without cations

07.EA.05 Metauranopilite (UO2)6(SO4)(OH)10•5(H2O) Unk Ortho

07.EA.05 Uranopilite [(UO2)6(SO4)O2(OH)6(H2O)6]•8(H2O) P1 1

Other Uranopilite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8, AmMin, Vol 87, p 768) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Uranopilite :
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 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - Uranium Minerals

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

Uranopilite

[(UO2)6(SO4)O2(OH)6(H2O)6]•8(H2O)
Dana No: 31.02.06.01 Strunz No: 07.EA.05
Locality:

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