Ranunculite Mineral Data

General Ranunculite Information

Chemical Formula:

HAl(UO2)(PO4)(OH)3•4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 516.07 gm

Uranium 46.12 % U 52.32 % UO₂

Aluminum 5.23 % Al 9.88 % Al₂O₃

Phosphorus 6.00 % P 13.75 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 2.34 % H 20.95 % H₂O

Oxygen 40.30 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.90 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

HAl(UO₂)(PO₄)(OH)₃•4(H₂O)

Environment:

In U-rich portions of a pegmatite with other Al-U phosphates.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1979

Locality:

Kobokobo, Kivu, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the color "ranunculus", buttercup.

Name Pronunciation:

Ranunculite + Pronunciation

Ranunculite Image

Images:

Ranunculite

Comments: SEM image of nodular ranunculite showing the aggregates of lamellar crystals. (MinMag v43:327).
Location: Uranium-rich portions of a pegmatite mainly worked for beryl and columbite at Kobokobo, Kivu, Zaire. Scale: Picture Size 300 x.
© Mineralogical Magazine

Ranunculite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.6271:1:1.0169

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.1, b = 17.7, c = 18, Z = 14; beta = 90° V = 3,536.46 Den(Calc)= 3.39

Crystal System:

MonoclinicSpace Group: Unk (pseudo ORTH)

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 9(1), 3.133(0.8), 4.7(0.5),

Physical Properties of Ranunculite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect, {100} Perfect

Color:

Golden yellow, Canary yellow.

Density:

3.4

Fracture:

Irregular - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an irregular pattern.

Habit:

Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).

Habit:

Nodular - Tuberose forms having irregular protuberances over the surface.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Streak:

light yellow

Optical Properties of Ranunculite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.146 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.149 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1944,KPDmeas= 0.1938,KC= 0.1692
Ncalc = 1.57 - 1.58

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.643, b=1.664, g=1.67, bire=0.0270, 2V(Calc)=54, 2V(Meas)=56.

Pleochroism (x):

pale green yellow.

Pleochroism (y):

yellow.

Pleochroism (z):

pale green yellow.

Calculated Properties of Ranunculite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.11 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Ranunculite =3.40 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.003517842
Boson Index = 0.996482158

Photoelectric:

PE_Ranunculite=1,144.68 barns/electron
U=PE_Ranunculite x r_electron=3,559.54 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,595,715.89 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Ranunculite per GRapi unit = 278.11 (PPB)

Ranunculite 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) 8.46 ± 2.11 grams of pure Ranunculite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 845.91 ±211.48 grams of pure Ranunculite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Ranunculite** - 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 / 8.25 cm	82,560,572	2.23E-03	3,595,715.89	1,182.15
100 gm / 3.83 cm	8,256,057	2.23E-04	359,571.59	118.22
10 gm / 1.78 cm	825,606	2.23E-05	35,957.16	11.82
1 gm / 8.25 mm	82,561	2.23E-06	3,595.72	1.18
0.1 gm / 3.83 mm	8,256	2.23E-07	359.57	0.12
0.01 gm / 1.78 mm	826	2.23E-08	35.96	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.83 mm	83	2.23E-09	3.60	0.00

Weight of pure Ranunculite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.40 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

Ranunculite Classification

Dana Class:

42.02.02.01 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(42.02)where (AB)3 (XO4) Zq · x(H2O)

(42.02.02)Dana Group

42.02.02.01 Ranunculite HAl(UO2)(PO4)(OH)3•4(H2O) Unk (pseudo ORTH) Mono

Strunz Class:

08.EB.40 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.E - Uranyl Phosphates and Arsenates

08.EB -UO2:RO4 = 1:1

08.EB.40 Ranunculite HAl(UO2)(PO4)(OH)3•4(H2O) Unk (pseudo ORTH) Mono

Other Ranunculite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Ranunculite :
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 - MinDAT
9 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
10 - Online Mineral Museum
11 - QUT Mineral Atlas
12 - Ruff.Info
13 - Uranium Minerals

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

Ranunculite

HAl(UO2)(PO4)(OH)3•4(H2O)
Dana No: 42.02.02.01 Strunz No: 08.EB.40
Locality:

Notes: