Sklodowskite Mineral Data

Sklodowskite Mineral Data +

[Localities] [Carat Weight] [Special Collections] [Diamond Lots] [Ordering Info]
See Also: [Excalibur Minerals] [Mineral News] [Hudson Institute] [Minerals on CDROM]
Special Collections of Rough Diamonds for Researchers and Collectors
Unparalled diversity of specimens from different locations

General Sklodowskite Information

Chemical Formula:

(H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 858.63 gm

Magnesium 2.83 % Mg 4.69 % MgO

Uranium 55.44 % U 62.90 % UO₂

Silicon 6.54 % Si 14.00 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.64 % H 14.69 % H₂O

Oxygen 33.54 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.27 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(H₃O)₂Mg(UO₂)₂(SiO₄)₂·4(H₂O)

Environment:

Oxidation zones of uranium ores, often associated with altered uraninite and with other secondary uranium minerals.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1924

Locality:

Kasolo, Katanga, Congo. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Marie Curie-Sklodowska (1867 - 1934), Polish-born French researcher of radioactive minerals. Discoverd the element radium.

Synonym:

Chinkolobwite

ICSD 1148

PDF 29-875

Sklodowskite Image

Images:

Sklodowskite

Comments: Yellow cotton-ball spray of acicular sklodowskite.
Location: Shinkolobwe mine, Tantara, Shaba, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Sklodowskite Kasolite

Comments: Greenish yellow, acicular sklodowskite crystals and yellow, bladed kasolite crystals.
Location: Kambove, (Kakanda) Mine, Katanga District, Shaba (Katanga), Republic of the Congo, (Za?re). Scale: Picture size 1 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Sklodowskite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.458:1:0.9331

Cell Dimensions:

a = 17.28, b = 7.03, c = 6.56, Z = 2; beta = 105.88° V = 766.49 Den(Calc)= 3.72

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 8.42(1), 4.19(0.8), 3.27(0.7),

Physical Properties of Sklodowskite

Cleavage:

[100] Perfect

Color:

Greenish yellow, Light yellow.

Density:

3.54

Diaphaniety:

Translucent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Luminescence:

Radioactive.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

yellow white

Optical Properties of Sklodowskite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.185 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.128 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1707,KPDmeas= 0.1794,KC= 0.1513

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.613, b=1.635, g=1.657, bire=0.0440

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

pale yellow.

Pleochroism (z):

yellow.

Calculated Properties of Sklodowskite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.31 gm/cc
note: r_Sklodowskite=3.72 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01004
Boson Index = 0.98996

Photoelectric:

PE_Sklodowskite=1,414.09 barns/electron
U=PE_Sklodowskite x r_electron=4,680.63 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,205,041.89 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Sklodowskite 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) 7.23 ± 1.81 grams of pure Sklodowskite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 723.34 ±180.83 grams of pure Sklodowskite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Sklodowskite** - 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 / 8.01 cm	99,244,062	2.68E-03	4,205,041.89	1,382.48
100 gm / 3.72 cm	9,924,406	2.68E-04	420,504.19	138.25
10 gm / 1.73 cm	992,441	2.68E-05	42,050.42	13.82
1 gm / 8.01 mm	99,244	2.68E-06	4,205.04	1.38
0.1 gm / 3.72 mm	9,924	2.68E-07	420.50	0.14
0.01 gm / 1.73 mm	992	2.68E-08	42.05	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm	99	2.68E-09	4.21	0.00

Weight of pure Sklodowskite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.72 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

Sklodowskite Classification

Dana Class:

53.3.1.3 (53)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups and Other Anions of Complex Cations

(53.3)with (UO2)

(53.3.1)Uranophane group

53.3.1.1 Kasolite Pb(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

53.3.1.2 Uranophane Ca(UO2)2SiO3(OH)2·5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

53.3.1.3 Sklodowskite (H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

53.3.1.4 Cuprosklodowskite Cu[(UO2)(SiO2OH)]2·6(H2O) P1 1

53.3.1.5 Boltwoodite HK(UO2)(SiO4)·1.5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

53.3.1.6 Sodium-boltwoodite (H3O)(Na,K)(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

53.3.1.7 Oursinite (Co,Mg)(H3O)2[(UO2)SiO4]2·3(H2O) Aba2,Abam Ortho

53.3.1.8 Swamboite UH6(UO2)6(SiO4)6·30(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

53.3.1.9 Uranophane-beta Ca[(UO2)SiO3(OH)]2·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

VIII/B.34-10 VIII - Silicates

VIII/B - Nesosub-silicates. "Insel" silicates with anions unfamiliar to tetraheders. Uranyl-"Insel" silicates with [UO2]2+ - [SiO4]4-

VIII/B.34 - Sklodowskite - Uranophane - Kasolite series

VIII/B.34-10 Sklodowskite (H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VIII/B.34-20 Cuprosklodowskite Cu[(UO2)(SiO2OH)]2·6(H2O) P1 1

VIII/B.34-30 Oursinite (Co,Mg)(H3O)2[(UO2)SiO4]2·3(H2O) Aba2,Abam Ortho

VIII/B.34-40 Uranophane Ca(UO2)2SiO3(OH)2·5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VIII/B.34-50 Uranophane-beta Ca[(UO2)SiO3(OH)]2·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

VIII/B.34-60 Boltwoodite HK(UO2)(SiO4)·1.5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VIII/B.34-70 Sodium-boltwoodite (H3O)(Na,K)(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

VIII/B.34-80 Kasolite Pb(UO2)SiO4·(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Sklodowskite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

Search for Sklodowskite using:

[ALTAVISTA] [AOL] [About.com] [All-The-Web] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [LookSmart] [MAMMA] [MSN.COM] [Netscape] [Teoma] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Sklodowskite :
AA Mineral Specimens
B and L Minerals
Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals
Dan Weinrich Auctions
e-Rocks Auctions
Excalibur Minerals
Exceptional Minerals
Fabre Minerals
Greenside Minerals
John Betts Fine Minerals
Masons Minerals
Minernet.it
Mineral News
Mineral of the Month Club
MineralsWeb Fine Minerals
Rockshop.cz Kalat Fine Minerals
T G Fine Minerals
Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Sklodowskite Mineral Data :

Ask about Sklodowskite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Sklodowskite

(H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2·4(H2O)
Dana No: 53.3.1.3 Strunz No: VIII/B.34-10
Locality:

Notes: