General Thorite Information
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Chemical Formula: |
ThSiO4 |
Composition: |
Molecular Weight = 324.12 gm |
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Thorium 71.59 % Th 81.46 % ThO2 |
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Silicon 8.67 % Si 18.54 % SiO2 |
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Oxygen 19.74 % O |
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______ ______ |
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100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE |
Empirical Formula: |
Th(SiO4) |
Environment: |
Augite-syenite rocks. |
IMA Status: |
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1829 |
Locality: |
Island of Lovo, Norway Link to MinDat.org Location Data. |
Name Origin: |
From the presence of the element Thorium, a highly radioactive material. |
Synonym: |
ICSD 1615 |
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Orangite |
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PDF 11-419 |
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Thorite Image |
Images:
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Thorite
Comments: Brown crude crystal of thorite var. uranothorite with still visible termination on both ends. Mildly radioactive.
Location: Kemp Uranium Mine, Cheddar, Cardiff Township, Haliburton Co., Ontario, Canada.
Scale: 15x14x13 mm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals |
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Images:
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Thorite
Comments: Several small, black cubic crystals of thorite.
Location: Balangoda, Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa province, Sri Lanka.
Scale: Picture size 0.8 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher |
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Thorite Crystallography
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Axial Ratios: |
a:c = 1:0.8845 |
Cell Dimensions: |
a = 7.117, c = 6.295, Z = 4; V = 318.85 Den(Calc)= 6.75 |
Crystal System: |
Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: I 41/amd |
X Ray Diffraction: |
By Intensity(I/Io): 3.53(1), 4.69(0.9), 2.65(0.8), |
Crystal Structure:
Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above
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Fuchs L H , Gebert E , American Mineralogist , 43 (1958) p.243-248, X-ray studies of synthetic coffinite, thorite and uranothorites
View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Thorite
[1]
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Physical Properties of Thorite
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Cleavage: |
[110] Poor |
Color: |
Brownish yellow, Brownish black, Yellow, Dark brown, Orange. |
Density: |
4 - 6.7, Average = 5.35 |
Diaphaniety: |
Subtransparent to subtranslucent |
Fracture: |
Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz). |
Habit: |
Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix. |
Habit: |
Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock. |
Habit: |
Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline). |
Hardness: |
5 - Apatite |
Luminescence: |
None. |
Luster: |
Resinous |
Magnetism: |
Nonmagnetic |
Streak: |
light brown |
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Optical Properties of Thorite
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Dichroism (e): |
none. |
Dichroism (w): |
none. |
Gladstone-Dale: |
CI meas= 0.136 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC) CI calc= 0.315 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1196,KPDmeas= 0.1509,KC= 0.1746 |
Optical Data: |
Uniaxial (-), e=1.78-1.82, w=1.79-1.84, bire=0.0100-0.0200. |
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Calculated Properties of Thorite
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Electron Density: |
relectron=4.49 gm/cc note: rThorite =5.35 gm/cc. |
Fermion Index |
Fermion Index = 0.00414 Boson Index = 0.99586 |
Photoelectric: |
PEThorite =1,794.84 barns/electron U=PEThorite x relectron=8,058.25 barns/cc. |
Radioactivity: |
GRapi = 1,281,657.29 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Thorite 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)
23.73 ± 5.93 grams of pure Thorite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size
(10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box)
2373.2 ±593.31 grams of pure Thorite .
Estimated Radioactivity from Thorite - 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 / 7.09 cm |
32,072,280 |
8.67E-04 |
1,281,657.29 |
421.37 |
| 100 gm / 3.29 cm |
3,207,228 |
8.67E-05 |
128,165.73 |
42.14 |
| 10 gm / 1.53 cm |
320,723 |
8.67E-06 |
12,816.57 |
4.21 |
| 1 gm / 7.09 mm |
32,072 |
8.67E-07 |
1,281.66 |
0.42 |
| 0.1 gm / 3.29 mm |
3,207 |
8.67E-08 |
128.17 |
0.04 |
| 0.01 gm / 1.53 mm |
321 |
8.67E-09 |
12.82 |
0.00 |
| 0.001 gm / 0.71 mm |
32 |
8.67E-10 |
1.28 |
0.00 |
Weight of pure Thorite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.35 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
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Thorite Classification
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Dana Class: |
51.5.2.3 (51)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups Only |
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(51.5)with cations in >[6] coordination |
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(51.5.2)Zircon group |
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51.5.2.1 Zircon ZrSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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51.5.2.2 Hafnon HfSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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51.5.2.3 Thorite ThSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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51.5.2.4 Coffinite U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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51.5.2.5 Thorogummite Th(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
Strunz Class: |
VIII/A.09-30 VIII - Silicates |
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VIII/A - Nesosilicates with [SiO4]4-groups, cations of octahedral and cubic orientation [8+6] |
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VIII/A.09 - Zircon - Thorogummite series |
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VIII/A.09-05 Reidite! ZrSiO4 I 41/a 4/m |
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VIII/A.09-10 Zircon ZrSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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VIII/A.09-20 Hafnon HfSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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VIII/A.09-30 Thorite ThSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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VIII/A.09-40 Coffinite U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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VIII/A.09-50 Thorogummite Th(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m |
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Other Thorite Information
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References: |
NAME( Mason68) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68) |
See Also: |
Links to other databases for Thorite :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 -Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
5 -Athena
6 - CalTech Mineral Spectroscopy
7 - Crocoite.com Mineral Locations
8 - EUROmin Project
9 - Franklin Minerals(Dunn)
10 - Franklin Minerals(Palache)
11 -Google Images
12 -Google Scholar
13 -Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
14 -Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
15 -MinDAT
16 -MinMax(Deutsch)
17 -MinMax(English)
18 - Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
19 -Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
20 - Minerals of Wisconsin
21 -QUT Mineral Atlas
22 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
23 -University of Colorado - Mineral Structure Data
24 - Uranium Minerals
25 - WWW-MINCRYST
26 -École des Mines de Paris
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Thorite
ThSiO4
Dana No: 51.5.2.3 Strunz No: VIII/A.09-30
Locality:
Notes:
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