Yttrocerite Mineral Data

General Yttrocerite Information

Chemical Formula:

CaF2 + (Y,Ce)F3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 236.78 gm

Calcium 16.93 % Ca 23.68 % CaO

Cerium 14.79 % Ce 17.33 % Ce₂O₃

Yttrium 28.16 % Y 35.76 % Y₂O₃

Fluorine 40.12 % F 40.12 % F

- % F -16.89 % -O=F₂

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

CaY_0.75Ce_0.25F₅

Environment:

Y - rich fluorite.

IMA Status:

Not Approved IMA

Locality:

Falun, Sweden, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from its chemical composition containing ytterbium (Named after Ytterby, Sweden) and cerium (Named after the asteroid, Ceres)..

Yttrocerite Image

Images:

Yttrocerite

Comments: Blue/purpley Yttrocerite in matrix.
Location: Rockport Granite Company quarry, Rockport, Essex Co., Massachusetts, USA. Scale: Specimen Size 6.9 x 3.7 x 1.8 cm.
© Rob Lavinsky

Yttrocerite Crystallography

Crystal System:

IsometricSpace Group: Unk

Physical Properties of Yttrocerite

Cleavage:

{111} Perfect, {111} Perfect, [111} Perfect

Color:

Reddish blue, Purplish gray, Brown.

Density:

3 - 4, Average = 3.5

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

Irregular - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an irregular pattern.

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

4-5 - Fluorite-Apatite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Yttrocerite

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=1.43.

Calculated Properties of Yttrocerite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.22 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Yttrocerite =3.50 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0002285063
Boson Index = 0.9997714937

Photoelectric:

PE_Yttrocerite= 112.77 barns/electron
U=PE_Yttrocerite x r_electron= 362.57 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 14,495.39 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Yttrocerite per GRapi unit = 68.99 (PPM)

Yttrocerite is Radioactive as defined in 49 CFR 173.403. Greater than 70 Bq / gram.

**Estimated Radioactivity from Yttrocerite** - weak
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 / 8.17 cm	331,384	8.96E-06	14,495.39	4.77
100 gm / 3.79 cm	33,138	8.96E-07	1,449.54	0.48
10 gm / 1.76 cm	3,314	8.96E-08	144.95	0.05
1 gm / 8.17 mm	331	8.96E-09	14.50	0.00
0.1 gm / 3.79 mm	33	8.96E-10	1.45	0.00
0.01 gm / 1.76 mm	3	8.96E-11	0.14	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.82 mm	0	8.96E-12	0.01	0.00

Weight of pure Yttrocerite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.50 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
Estimated Thorium Activity ( 0.74 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (14.79 % REE)

Yttrocerite Classification

Dana Class:

09.00.00.00 (09)Halide Minerals

(09.00)Without Dana Classification Numbers

(09.00.00)Fluoride, Anhydrous

09.00.00.00 Boldyrevite? NaCaMgAl3F14•4(H2O) None

09.00.00.00 IMA2008-032 CuCl2•2NH3 C mcm 2/m 2/m 2/m

09.00.00.00 IMA2008-039 (NH4)3PbCl5 P nma 2/m 2/m 2/m

09.00.00.00 Yttrocerite* CaF2(Y,Ce)F3 Unk Cubic

Strunz Class:

03.XX.00 03 - Halogenides

03.X - Unclassified Strunz Halogenides

03.XX -Fluoride, Anhydrous

03.XX.00 Hydrophilite? CaCl2 Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

03.XX.00 Hydromolysite? FeCl3•6(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

03.XX.00 Lorettoite? Pb7O6Cl2 pseudo-TET Ortho

03.XX.00 Yttrocerite* CaF2(Y,Ce)F3 Unk Cubic

03.XX.00 IMA2009-014 SrF2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

03.XX.00 IMA2009-015 NaSrCeF6 P 6₃/m 6/m

Other Yttrocerite Information

References:

NAME( Emsley91) PHYS. PROP.(Dana) OPTIC PROP.(Dana)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Yttrocerite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - GeoScienceWorld
4 - Google Images
5 - Google Scholar
6 - MinDAT
7 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
8 - Online Mineral Museum
9 - QUT Mineral Atlas
10 - Ruff.Info

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Ask about Yttrocerite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Yttrocerite Specimen Label here :

Yttrocerite

CaF2 + (Y,Ce)F3
Dana No: 09.00.00.00 Strunz No: 03.XX.00
Locality:

Notes: