Uranosphaerite Mineral Data

Uranosphaerite Mineral Data +

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General Uranosphaerite Information

Chemical Formula:

Bi(UO2)O2(OH)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 528.01 gm

Uranium 45.08 % U 51.14 % UO₂

Bismuth 39.58 % Bi 44.12 % Bi₂O₃

Hydrogen 0.19 % H 1.71 % H₂O

Oxygen 15.15 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.97 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Bi(UO₂)O₂(OH)

Environment:

Oxidic zone of "gummite" alteration of uraninite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1873

Locality:

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

Name Origin:

Named for the compostition uranium and the Greek for sphere, in allusion to its globular forms.

Uranosphaerite Image

Images:

Uranosphaerite

Comments: Yellow-orange earthy uranosphaerite crusts.
Location: Kersegalec en Lignol, Vendee, France. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Uranosphaerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9677:1:0.9848

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.559, b = 7.811, c = 7.693, Z = 4; beta = 92.88° V = 453.65 Den(Calc)= 7.73

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/n

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.16(1), 1.83(0.8), 3.87(0.7),

Crystal Structure:

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Hughes K-A , Burns P C , Kolitsch U , The Canadian Mineralogist , 41 (2003) p.677-685, Crystal structure and crystal chemistry of uranosphaerite, Bi(UO2)O2OH, Note: natural sample, Locality: Clara barite and fluorite mine, Black Forest, Germany

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Uranosphaerite
[1]

Physical Properties of Uranosphaerite

Cleavage:

[001] Good

Color:

Orange, Red orange, Brick red.

Density:

6.36

Habit:

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

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Luster:

Greasy (Oily)

Streak:

yellow

Optical Properties of Uranosphaerite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.263 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.04 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1294,KPDmeas= 0.1572,KC= 0.1244

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.959, b=1.981, g=2.06, bire=0.1010, 2V(Calc)=58, 2V(Meas)=56. Dispersion strong, r < v.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Pleochroism (z):

none.

Calculated Properties of Uranosphaerite

Electron Density:

r_electron=6.32 gm/cc
note: r_{Uranosphaerite}=7.73 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00331
Boson Index = 0.99669

Photoelectric:

PE_{Uranosphaerite}=2,028.56 barns/electron
U=PE_{Uranosphaerite} x r_electron=12829.37 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,143,806.03 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Uranosphaerite 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) 9.68 ± 2.42 grams of pure Uranosphaerite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 967.51 ±241.88 grams of pure Uranosphaerite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Uranosphaerite** - 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 / 6.27 cm	80,693,218	2.18E-03	3,143,806.03	1,033.58
100 gm / 2.91 cm	8,069,322	2.18E-04	314,380.60	103.36
10 gm / 1.35 cm	806,932	2.18E-05	31,438.06	10.34
1 gm / 6.27 mm	80,693	2.18E-06	3,143.81	1.03
0.1 gm / 2.91 mm	8,069	2.18E-07	314.38	0.10
0.01 gm / 1.35 mm	807	2.18E-08	31.44	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.63 mm	81	2.18E-09	3.14	0.00

Weight of pure Uranosphaerite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 7.73 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

Uranosphaerite Classification

Dana Class:

5.9.1.1 (5)Oxides Containing Uranium and Thorium

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

(5.9.1)Dana Group

5.9.1.1 Uranosphaerite Bi(UO2)O2(OH) P 2₁/n 2/m

Strunz Class:

IV/H.08-10 IV - Oxides

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

IV/H.08 - Uranosphaerite series

IV/H.08-10 Uranosphaerite Bi(UO2)O2(OH) P 2₁/n 2/m

Other Uranosphaerite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8, CanMin v 41, p 677) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

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Uranosphaerite

Bi(UO2)O2(OH)
Dana No: 5.9.1.1 Strunz No: IV/H.08-10
Locality:

Notes: