Zeunerite Mineral Data

Zeunerite Mineral Data +

General Zeunerite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,061.59 gm

Uranium 44.84 % U 50.87 % UO₂

Copper 5.99 % Cu 7.49 % CuO

Arsenic 14.11 % As 21.65 % As₂O₅

Hydrogen 1.90 % H 16.97 % H₂O

Oxygen 33.16 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.99 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂·10(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral in arsenate bearing uranium deposits. Dehydrates to meta-zeunerite in air at 65 deg C.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1872

Locality:

Weisser Hirsch mine, Neustadtel, Schneeberg, Saxony, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after Gustav Anton Zeuner (1828-1907), German physicist, director, School of Mines, Freiberg, Germany.

Zeunerite Image

Images:

Zeunerite

Comments: Thin, tabular crystals of Zeunerite on matrix.
Location: Cinovec, Erzgebirge, the Czech Republic. Scale: Picture size 0.5 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Zeunerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:2.93314

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.18, c = 21.06, Z = 2; V = 1,085.69 Den(Calc)= 3.25

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 4/nnc

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.59(1), 10.3(1), 5.2(0.7),

Crystal Structure:

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Locock A J , Burns P C , The Canadian Mineralogist , 41 (2003) p.489-502, Crystal structures and synthesis of the copper-dominant members of the autunite, and meta-autunite groups: Tobernite, zeunerite, metatorbernite and metazeunerite

Physical Properties of Zeunerite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

Green, Green, Emerald green.

Density:

3.2 - 3.4, Average = 3.3

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Micaceous - Platy texture with "flexible" plates.

Habit:

Scaly - Morphology like fish scales.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Radioactive and Non-Fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

pale green

Optical Properties of Zeunerite

Dichroism (e):

none.

Dichroism (w):

none.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.176 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.194 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1867,KPDmeas= 0.1839,KC= 0.1564

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.576-1.623, w=1.585-1.643, bire=0.0090-0.0200.

Calculated Properties of Zeunerite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.95 gm/cc
note: r_Zeunerite=3.30 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00339
Boson Index = 0.99661

Photoelectric:

PE_Zeunerite=1,149.99 barns/electron
U=PE_Zeunerite x r_electron=3,396.04 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,420,590.63 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Zeunerite 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) 8.89 ± 2.22 grams of pure Zeunerite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 889.22 ±222.31 grams of pure Zeunerite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Zeunerite** - 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 / 8.33 cm	80,270,277	2.17E-03	3,420,590.63	1,124.58
100 gm / 3.87 cm	8,027,028	2.17E-04	342,059.06	112.46
10 gm / 1.80 cm	802,703	2.17E-05	34,205.91	11.25
1 gm / 8.33 mm	80,270	2.17E-06	3,420.59	1.12
0.1 gm / 3.87 mm	8,027	2.17E-07	342.06	0.11
0.01 gm / 1.80 mm	803	2.17E-08	34.21	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.83 mm	80	2.17E-09	3.42	0.00

Weight of pure Zeunerite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.30 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

Zeunerite Classification

Dana Class:

40.2a.14.1 (40)Hydrated Phosphates, etc

(40.2a)where A++ (B++)2 (XO4) · x(H2O), containing (UO2)++

(40.2a.14)Dana Group

40.2a.14.1 Zeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

40.2a.14.2 Metazeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·8(H2O) P 4/n 4/m

Strunz Class:

VII/E.01-80 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/E - Uranylphosphates and uranylvanadates with [UO2]2+ - [PO4 | AsO4]3- and [UO2]2+ - [V2O8]6-

VII/E.01 - Autunite group

VII/E.01-10 Trogerite H2(UO2)2(AsO4)2·8(H2O) P 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-20 Sabugalite HAl(UO2)4(PO4)4·16(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-30 Saleeite Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·10(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-35 Seelite-1 Mg[(UO2)(AsO3)x(AsO4)1-x]2·7(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-35* Seelite-2 Mg(UO2)(AsO3)x(AsO4)1-x·7(H2O)(x=0.7) C 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-40 Novacekite Mg(UO2)2(AsO4)2·12(H2O) P 4₁/n 4/m

VII/E.01-50 Kahlerite Fe(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-12(H2O) P 4₁/n 4/m

VII/E.01-60 Fritzscheite Mn(UO2)2[(V,P)O4]2·4(H2O) Pnam 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-70 Torbernite Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2·8-12(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-80 Zeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-90 Autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2·10-12(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-100 Uranospinite Ca(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10(H2O) I 4/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-110 Uranocircite Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2·12(H2O) P 4/nnc 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-120 Heinrichite Ba(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-12(H2O) IA/mmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/E.01-130 Sodium-autunite Na2(UO2)2(PO4)2·8(H2O) P 4/nmm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Other Zeunerite Information

References:

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

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Zeunerite

Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·10-16(H2O)
Dana No: 40.2a.14.1 Strunz No: VII/E.01-80
Locality:

Notes: