Schoepite Mineral Data

Schoepite Mineral Data +

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General Schoepite Information

Chemical Formula:

(UO2)8O2(OH)12·12(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,612.49 gm

Uranium 72.89 % U 82.69 % UO₂

Hydrogen 1.39 % H 12.41 % H₂O

Oxygen 25.72 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 95.10 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(UO₂)₈O₂(OH)₁₂·12(H₂O)

Environment:

Found as an alteration product of uraninite, alters spontanously to metaschoepite and paraschoepite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1923

Locality:

Kasolo, Shaba, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Alfred Schoep (1881-1966), Belgian mineralogist who studied uranium mineralogy.

Synonym:

ICSD 82477

PDF 13-407

Schoepite Image

Images:

Schoepite Becquerelite

Comments: Bright yellow crystals of schoepite on transparent yellow becquerelite.
Location: Shinkolobwe mine, Tantara, Shaba, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scale: .
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Schoepite Metatorbernite

Comments: Green, tabular crystals of metatorbernite and acicular, yellow schoepite on matrix.
Location: Musonoi mine, Kolwezi, Shaba, (Katanga), Congo (Za?re). Scale: Picture size 2.5 mm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Images:

Schoepite Ianthinite

Comments: Purple to brown resinous ianthinite with yellow schoepite and orange becquerelite.
Location: Colorado Plateau area, Saguache County, Colorado, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Schoepite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.8534:1:0.8773

Cell Dimensions:

a = 14.33, b = 16.79, c = 14.73, Z = 4; V = 3,544.05 Den(Calc)= 4.90

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - PyramidalH-M Symbol (mm2) Space Group: P 2₁ca

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 7.28(1), 5.08(0.7), 3.44(0.25),

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Crystal Structure:

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Finch R J , Cooper M A , Hawthorne F C , Ewing R C , The Canadian Mineralogist , 34 (1996) p.1071-1088, The crystal structure of schoepite, [(UO2)8O2(OH)12](H2O)12

Physical Properties of Schoepite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect, [010] Indistinct

Color:

Yellow, Lemon yellow, Brownish yellow, Amber.

Density:

4.8

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Fluorescent.

Luster:

Adamantine

Streak:

light yellow

Optical Properties of Schoepite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.189 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.165 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1455,KPDmeas= 0.1485,KC= 0.1249

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.69, b=1.714, g=1.735, bire=0.0450

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Schoepite

Electron Density:

r_electron=4.16 gm/cc
note: r_Schoepite=4.90 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00537
Boson Index = 0.99463

Photoelectric:

PE_Schoepite=1,949.60 barns/electron
U=PE_Schoepite x r_electron=8,103.18 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 5,270,031.36 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Schoepite 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) 5.77 ± 1.44 grams of pure Schoepite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 577.16 ±144.29 grams of pure Schoepite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Schoepite** - 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 / 7.30 cm	130,472,133	3.53E-03	5,270,031.36	1,732.61
100 gm / 3.39 cm	13,047,213	3.53E-04	527,003.14	173.26
10 gm / 1.57 cm	1,304,721	3.53E-05	52,700.31	17.33
1 gm / 7.30 mm	130,472	3.53E-06	5,270.03	1.73
0.1 gm / 3.39 mm	13,047	3.53E-07	527.00	0.17
0.01 gm / 1.57 mm	1,305	3.53E-08	52.70	0.02
0.001 gm / 0.73 mm	130	3.53E-09	5.27	0.00

Weight of pure Schoepite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 4.90 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

Schoepite Classification

Dana Class:

5.2.1.3 (5)Oxides Containing Uranium and Thorium

(5.2)with a cation charge of 6+ (AO3) and hydrated

(5.2.1)Dana Group

5.2.1.1 Metaschoepite UO3·n(H2O)(n<2) Pbna 2/m 2/m 2/m

5.2.1.2 Paraschoepite UO3·2(H2O)(?) P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

5.2.1.3 Schoepite (UO2)8O2(OH)12·12(H2O) P 2₁ca mm2

Strunz Class:

IV/H.01-40 IV - Oxides

IV/H - Uranyl ([UO2]2+) hydroxides and hydrates

IV/H.01 - Ianthinite - Paraschoepite series

IV/H.01-10 Ianthinite (UO2)·5(UO3)·10(H2O) P 2₁cn mm2

IV/H.01-20 Studtite [(UO2)O2(H2O)2](H2O)2 C 2/m 2/m

IV/H.01-30 Metastudtite UO4·2(H2O) I mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m

IV/H.01-40 Schoepite (UO2)8O2(OH)12·12(H2O) P 2₁ca mm2

IV/H.01-50 Metaschoepite UO3·n(H2O)(n<2) Pbna 2/m 2/m 2/m

IV/H.01-60 Paraschoepite UO3·2(H2O)(?) P bca 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Schoepite Information

References:

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

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

Schoepite

(UO2)8O2(OH)12·12(H2O)
Dana No: 5.2.1.3 Strunz No: IV/H.01-40
Locality:

Notes: