Zellerite Mineral Data

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General Zellerite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca(UO2)(CO3)2•5(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 520.20 gm

Calcium 7.70 % Ca 10.78 % CaO

Uranium 45.76 % U 51.91 % UO₂

Hydrogen 1.94 % H 17.32 % H₂O

Carbon 4.62 % C 16.92 % CO₂

Oxygen 39.98 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.92 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca(UO₂)(CO₃)₂•5(H₂O)

Environment:

Sediment-hosted uranium deposits.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1963

Locality:

Lucky Mc mine, Freemont County, and Pat No. 8 mine, Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Howard D. Zeller (1922-), U. S. Geological Survey, who found the mineral.

Name Pronunciation:

Zellerite + Pronunciation

Zellerite Image

Images:

Zellerite

Comments: Yellowish zellerite aggregates on matrix.
Location: Jáchymov, Krusné Hory (Erzgebirge), Západoceský Kraj, Bohemia, Czech Republic. Scale: Picture size 5 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Zellerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5827:1:0.2562

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.22, b = 19.252, c = 4.933, Z = 4; V = 1,065.56 Den(Calc)= 3.24

Crystal System:

OrthorhombicSpace Group: Pbnm,Pbn21

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 9.66(1), 4.85(0.5), 5.59(0.35),

Physical Properties of Zellerite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

White yellow, Lemon.

Density:

3.25

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luminescence:

Weakly Fluorescent, Short UV=weak mottled green, Long UV=weak mottled green.

Luster:

Earthy (Dull)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Zellerite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.087 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.09 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1844,KPDmeas= 0.1838,KC= 0.1691
Ncalc = 1.55

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.536, b=1.559, g=1.697, bire=0.1610, 2V(Calc)=48, 2V(Meas)=30-45. Dispersion r > v.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

light yellow.

Calculated Properties of Zellerite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.97 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Zellerite =3.25 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0041013101
Boson Index = 0.9958986899

Photoelectric:

PE_Zellerite=1,135.67 barns/electron
U=PE_Zellerite x r_electron=3,377.32 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,568,854.57 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Zellerite per GRapi unit = 280.20 (PPB)

Zellerite 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) 8.52 ± 2.13 grams of pure Zellerite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 852.28 ±213.07 grams of pure Zellerite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Zellerite** - very strong
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 / 8.38 cm	81,905,291	2.21E-03	3,568,854.57	1,173.32
100 gm / 3.89 cm	8,190,529	2.21E-04	356,885.46	117.33
10 gm / 1.80 cm	819,053	2.21E-05	35,688.55	11.73
1 gm / 8.38 mm	81,905	2.21E-06	3,568.85	1.17
0.1 gm / 3.89 mm	8,191	2.21E-07	356.89	0.12
0.01 gm / 1.80 mm	819	2.21E-08	35.69	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.84 mm	82	2.21E-09	3.57	0.00

Weight of pure Zellerite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.25 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

Zellerite Classification

Dana Class:

15.03.01.01 (15)Hydrated Carbonates

(15.03)where A+m B++n (XO3)p · x(H2O), (m+n):p = 1:1 and containing U, Th, Zr, Y

(15.03.01)Dana Group

15.03.01.01 Zellerite Ca(UO2)(CO3)2•5(H2O) Pbnm,Pbn21 Ortho

15.03.01.02 Metazellerite Ca(UO2)(CO3)2•3(H2O) Pbn21,Pbnm Ortho

Strunz Class:

05.EC.10 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.E - Uranyl Carbonates

05.EC -UO2:CO3 < 1:1 - 1:2

05.EC.10 Metazellerite Ca(UO2)(CO3)2•3(H2O) Pbn21,Pbnm Ortho

05.EC.10 Zellerite Ca(UO2)(CO3)2•5(H2O) Pbnm,Pbn21 Ortho

Other Zellerite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Zellerite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info
15 - Uranium Minerals

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Zellerite Specimen Label here :

Zellerite

Ca(UO2)(CO3)2•5(H2O)
Dana No: 15.03.01.01 Strunz No: 05.EC.10
Locality:

Notes: