Vitusite-(Ce) Mineral Data
General Vitusite-(Ce) Information
Chemical Formula:
Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 399.08 gm
Sodium 17.28 % Na 23.30 % Na2 O
Lanthanum 10.44 % La 12.25 % La2 O3
Cerium 21.07 % Ce 24.67 % Ce2 O3
Phosphorus 15.52 % P 35.57 % P2 O5
Neodymium 3.61 % Nd 4.22 % Nd2 O3
Oxygen 32.07 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
Na3 Ce0.6 La0.3 Nd0.1 (PO4 )2
Environment:
Melanocratic nepheline syenite.
IMA Status:
Approved IMA 1979
Locality:
Ilimaussaq intrusion, southern Greenland. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named for Vitus Bering (1681-1741), explorer of norhtern seas (Bering Sea).
Name Pronunciation:
Vitusite-(Ce)
Vitusite-(Ce) Image
Images:
Vitusite-(Ce) Magnesio-arfvedsonite
Comments: Translucent beige-colored vitusite-(Ce) in a rim around a black magnesio-arfvedsonite crystal.
Location: Yubileinaya Vein, Karnasurt Mountain, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Russia.
Scale: Specimen Size 4x3x3 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals
Vitusite-(Ce) Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =0.2859:1:0.7527
Cell Dimensions:
a = 5.342, b = 18.68, c = 14.062, Z = 8; V = 1,403.23 Den(Calc)= 3.78
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic Space Group: Pcmb,Pc21b
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 2.801(1), 2.811(1), 6.58(0.9),
Physical Properties of Vitusite-(Ce)
Cleavage:
{100} Good, {010} Good, {001} Good
Color:
White, Light green, Light pink.
Density:
3.6 - 3.7, Average = 3.65
Habit:
Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.
Hardness:
4.5 - Between Fluorite and Apatite
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
white
Optical Properties of Vitusite-(Ce)
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = -0.03 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = 0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.1678,KPDmeas = 0.1738,KC = 0.1688 Ncalc = 1.61 - 1.64
Optical Data:
Biaxial (-), a=1.602-1.604, b=1.647-1.65, g=1.649-1.654, bire=0.0470-0.0500, 2V(Calc)=22-32, 2V(Meas)=30.
Calculated Properties of Vitusite-(Ce)
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.50 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Vitusite-(Ce) =3.78 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0076501022 Boson Index = 0.9923498978
Photoelectric:
PEVitusite-(Ce) = 174.91 barns/electronU=PEVitusite-(Ce) x r electron = 612.66 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 34,715.34 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Vitusite-(Ce) per GRapi unit = 28.81 (PPM)
Vitusite-(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)
876.17 ±219.04 grams of pure Vitusite-(Ce) .
Estimated Radioactivity from Vitusite-(Ce) - weak
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 / 7.96 cm
786,738
2.13E-05
34,715.34
11.41
100 gm / 3.70 cm
78,674
2.13E-06
3,471.53
1.14
10 gm / 1.72 cm
7,867
2.13E-07
347.15
0.11
1 gm / 7.96 mm
787
2.13E-08
34.72
0.01
0.1 gm / 3.70 mm
79
2.13E-09
3.47
0.00
0.01 gm / 1.72 mm
8
2.13E-10
0.35
0.00
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm
1
2.13E-11
0.03
0.00
Weight of pure Vitusite-(Ce) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.78 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 ( 1.76 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (35.12 % REE)
Vitusite-(Ce) Classification
Dana Class:
38.01.08.01 (38) Anhydrous Phosphates, etc
(38.01) A+ B++ XO4
(38.01.08) Dana Group
38.01.08.01 Vitusite-(Ce) Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2 Pcmb,Pc21b Ortho
Strunz Class:
08.AC.35 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
08.A - Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
08.AC -With medium-sized and large cations
08.AC.35 Vitusite-(Ce) Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2 Pcmb,Pc21b Ortho
Other Vitusite-(Ce) Information
References:
NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Vitusite-(Ce) :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Athena
5 - EUROmin Project
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST
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Vitusite-(Ce)
Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2
Dana No: 38.01.08.01 Strunz No: 08.AC.35
Locality:
Notes:
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