Richetite Mineral Data

General Richetite Information

Chemical Formula:

PbU++++++4O13•4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,439.37 gm

Uranium 66.15 % U 79.49 % UO₃

Hydrogen 0.56 % H 5.01 % H₂O

Lead 14.40 % Pb 15.51 % PbO

Oxygen 18.90 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

PbU₄O₁₃•4(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1947

Locality:

Shinkolobwe mine, Shaba, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Emile Richet (1884-1938), chief geologist, Union Miniere du Haut Katanga.

Name Pronunciation:

Richetite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 85570

PDF 30-370

Richetite Image

Images:

Richetite

Comments: Brown plates of richetite.
Location: Shinkolobwe mine, Katanga, Congo. Scale: See Image.
© Rruff Database

Richetite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.6666:1:1.3515

Cell Dimensions:

a = 20.1, b = 12.06, c = 16.3, Z = 4; alpha = 113.8°, beta = 115.1°, gamma = 90.4° V = 3,273.74 Den(Calc)= 2.92

Crystal System:

TriclinicSpace Group: P1 or P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.122(1), 7.12(0.8), 3.55(0.6),

Crystal Structure:

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Burns P C , The Canadian Mineralogist , 36 (1998) p.187-199, The structure of richetite, a rare lead uranyl oxide hydrate

Physical Properties of Richetite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect, {010} Fair

Color:

Black.

Habit:

Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luster:

Adamantine

Optical Properties of Richetite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI calc= -1.46 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.3233,KC= 0.1314
Ncalc = 1.39

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.9, b=2, g=2, bire=0.1000, 2V(Calc)=0, 2V(Meas)=large.

Pleochroism (x):

pale brown.

Pleochroism (y):

dull brown.

Pleochroism (z):

dull brown.

Calculated Properties of Richetite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.47 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Richetite =2.99 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97

Photoelectric:

PE_Richetite=2,086.02 barns/electron
U=PE_Richetite x r_electron=5,147.93 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,653,670.36 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Richetite per GRapi unit = 214.88 (PPB)

Richetite 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) 6.54 ± 1.63 grams of pure Richetite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 653.61 ±163.40 grams of pure Richetite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Richetite** - 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 / 8.61 cm	118,405,150	3.20E-03	4,653,670.36	1,529.97
100 gm / 4.00 cm	11,840,515	3.20E-04	465,367.04	153.00
10 gm / 1.86 cm	1,184,052	3.20E-05	46,536.70	15.30
1 gm / 8.61 mm	118,405	3.20E-06	4,653.67	1.53
0.1 gm / 4.00 mm	11,841	3.20E-07	465.37	0.15
0.01 gm / 1.86 mm	1,184	3.20E-08	46.54	0.02
0.001 gm / 0.86 mm	118	3.20E-09	4.65	0.00

Weight of pure Richetite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 2.99 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

Richetite Classification

Dana Class:

05.09.05.01 (05)Oxides Containing Uranium and Thorium

(05.09)with a cation charge of 6+ containing Pb or Bi and some water of hydration or hydroxyl

(05.09.05)Dana Group

05.09.05.01 Richetite PbU4O13•4(H2O) P1 or P1 Tri

Strunz Class:

04.GB.15 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

04.G - Uranyl Hydroxides

04.GB -With additional cations (K, Ca, Ba, Pb, etc.); with mainly UO2(O,OH)5 pentagonal polyhedra

04.GB.15 Richetite PbU4O13•4(H2O) P1 or P1 Tri

Other Richetite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Richetite :
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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Ask about Richetite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Richetite Specimen Label here :

Richetite

PbU++++++4O13•4(H2O)
Dana No: 05.09.05.01 Strunz No: 04.GB.15
Locality:

Notes: