Vitusite-(Ce) Mineral Data

General Vitusite-(Ce) Information

Chemical Formula:

Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 399.08 gm

Sodium 17.28 % Na 23.30 % Na₂O

Lanthanum 10.44 % La 12.25 % La₂O₃

Cerium 21.07 % Ce 24.67 % Ce₂O₃

Phosphorus 15.52 % P 35.57 % P₂O₅

Neodymium 3.61 % Nd 4.22 % Nd₂O₃

Oxygen 32.07 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₃Ce_0.6La_0.3Nd_0.1(PO₄)₂

Environment:

Melanocratic nepheline syenite.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1979

Locality:

Ilimaussaq intrusion, southern Greenland. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Vitus Bering (1681-1741), explorer of norhtern seas (Bering Sea).

Name Pronunciation:

Vitusite-(Ce)

Vitusite-(Ce) Image

Images:

Click Here for Larger Vitusite-(Ce) Image

Vitusite-(Ce) Magnesio-arfvedsonite

Comments: Translucent beige-colored vitusite-(Ce) in a rim around a black magnesio-arfvedsonite crystal.
Location: Yubileinaya Vein, Karnasurt Mountain, Lovozero Massif, Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Russia. Scale: Specimen Size 4x3x3 cm.
© John Betts - Fine Minerals

Vitusite-(Ce) Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.2859:1:0.7527

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.342, b = 18.68, c = 14.062, Z = 8; V = 1,403.23 Den(Calc)= 3.78

Crystal System:

OrthorhombicSpace Group: Pcmb,Pc21b

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.801(1), 2.811(1), 6.58(0.9),

Crystal Structure:

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Mazzi F , Ungaretti L , Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte , 1994 (1994) p.49-66, The crystal structure of vitusite from Ilimaussaq (South Greenland):, Na3REE(PO4)2, Locality: Ilimaussaq, South Greenland

Physical Properties of Vitusite-(Ce)

Cleavage:

{100} Good, {010} Good, {001} Good

Color:

White, Light green, Light pink.

Density:

3.6 - 3.7, Average = 3.65

Habit:

Pseudo Hexagonal - Crystals show a hexagonal outline.

Hardness:

4.5 - Between Fluorite and Apatite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Vitusite-(Ce)

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.03 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1678,KPDmeas= 0.1738,KC= 0.1688
Ncalc = 1.61 - 1.64

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.602-1.604, b=1.647-1.65, g=1.649-1.654, bire=0.0470-0.0500, 2V(Calc)=22-32, 2V(Meas)=30.

Calculated Properties of Vitusite-(Ce)

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.50 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Vitusite-(Ce) =3.78 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0076501022
Boson Index = 0.9923498978

Photoelectric:

PE_{Vitusite-(Ce)}= 174.91 barns/electron
U=PE_{Vitusite-(Ce)} x r_electron= 612.66 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 34,715.34 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Vitusite-(Ce) per GRapi unit = 28.81 (PPM)

Vitusite-(Ce) 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) 876.17 ±219.04 grams of pure Vitusite-(Ce) .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Vitusite-(Ce)** - 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 / 7.96 cm	786,738	2.13E-05	34,715.34	11.41
100 gm / 3.70 cm	78,674	2.13E-06	3,471.53	1.14
10 gm / 1.72 cm	7,867	2.13E-07	347.15	0.11
1 gm / 7.96 mm	787	2.13E-08	34.72	0.01
0.1 gm / 3.70 mm	79	2.13E-09	3.47	0.00
0.01 gm / 1.72 mm	8	2.13E-10	0.35	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm	1	2.13E-11	0.03	0.00

Weight of pure Vitusite-(Ce) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.78 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 ( 1.76 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (35.12 % REE)

Vitusite-(Ce) Classification

Dana Class:

38.01.08.01 (38)Anhydrous Phosphates, etc

(38.01)A+ B++ XO4

(38.01.08)Dana Group

38.01.08.01 Vitusite-(Ce) Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2 Pcmb,Pc21b Ortho

Strunz Class:

08.AC.35 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.A - Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O

08.AC -With medium-sized and large cations

08.AC.35 Vitusite-(Ce) Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2 Pcmb,Pc21b Ortho

Other Vitusite-(Ce) Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Vitusite-(Ce) :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Athena
5 - EUROmin Project
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Vitusite-(Ce) Specimen Label here :

Vitusite-(Ce)

Na3(Ce,La,Nd)(PO4)2
Dana No: 38.01.08.01 Strunz No: 08.AC.35
Locality:

Notes: