Fontanite Mineral Data

General Fontanite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca[(UO2)3(CO3)2O2]•6(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,110.27 gm

Calcium 3.61 % Ca 5.05 % CaO

Uranium 64.32 % U 72.96 % UO₂

Hydrogen 1.09 % H 9.74 % H₂O

Carbon 2.16 % C 7.93 % CO₂

Oxygen 28.82 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 95.68 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca(UO₂)₃(CO₃)₂O₂•6(H₂O)

Environment:

Uranium deposit. Uranyl-carbonate sheet structure formed under mildly acidic conditions.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1992

Locality:

Rabejec deposit (7 km SSE of Lodeve), Herault, France. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Francois Fontan, mineralogist, University of Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.

Name Pronunciation:

Fontanite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

IMA1991-034

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Fontanite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.4033:1:0.89

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.968, b = 17.276, c = 15.377, Z = 4; beta = 90.064° V = 1,851.07 Den(Calc)= 3.98

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/n

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 8.55(1), 2.772(0.7), 4.11(0.6),

Crystal Structure:

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Hughes K-A , Burns P C , American Mineralogist , 88 (2003) p.962-966, A new uranyl carbonate sheet in the crystal structure of fontanite,, Ca[(UO2)3(CO3)2O2](H2O)6

Physical Properties of Fontanite

Cleavage:

{010} Distinct, {001} Distinct, {100} Distinct

Color:

Honey yellow.

Density:

4.1

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Habit:

Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Fontanite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.221 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.258 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1678,KPDmeas= 0.1628,KC= 0.1334
Ncalc = 1.53 - 1.55

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.603, b=1.69, g=1.71, bire=0.1070, 2V(Calc)=48, 2V(Meas)=50.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Pleochroism (z):

none.

Calculated Properties of Fontanite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.55 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Fontanite =4.10 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0050574907
Boson Index = 0.9949425093

Photoelectric:

PE_Fontanite=1,688.16 barns/electron
U=PE_Fontanite x r_electron=5,984.66 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,740,222.40 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Fontanite per GRapi unit = 210.96 (PPB)

Fontanite 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) 6.42 ± 1.60 grams of pure Fontanite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 641.67 ±160.42 grams of pure Fontanite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Fontanite** - very strong
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Becquerels (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 7.75 cm	115,126,520	3.11E-03	4,740,222.40	1,558.43
100 gm / 3.60 cm	11,512,652	3.11E-04	474,022.24	155.84
10 gm / 1.67 cm	1,151,265	3.11E-05	47,402.22	15.58
1 gm / 7.75 mm	115,127	3.11E-06	4,740.22	1.56
0.1 gm / 3.60 mm	11,513	3.11E-07	474.02	0.16
0.01 gm / 1.67 mm	1,151	3.11E-08	47.40	0.02
0.001 gm / 0.78 mm	115	3.11E-09	4.74	0.00

Weight of pure Fontanite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 4.10 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

Fontanite Classification

Dana Class:

15.03.06.01 (15)Hydrated Carbonates

(15.03)where A+m B++n (XO3)p · x(H2O), (m+n):p = 1:1 and containing U, Th, Zr, Y

(15.03.06)Dana Group

15.03.06.01 Fontanite Ca[(UO2)3(CO3)2O2]•6(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Strunz Class:

05.EC.05 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.E - Uranyl Carbonates

05.EC -UO2:CO3 < 1:1 - 1:2

05.EC.05 Fontanite Ca[(UO2)3(CO3)2O2]•6(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Other Fontanite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(AmMin, v 88, p 962) OPTIC PROP.(37th List of New Min.,Min. Mag.,19)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Fontanite :
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 Fontanite Specimen Label here :

Fontanite

Ca[(UO2)3(CO3)2O2]•6(H2O)
Dana No: 15.03.06.01 Strunz No: 05.EC.05
Locality:

Notes: