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Althupite

Formula:
AlTh(UO
 
2
)
 
7
[O
 
2
|(OH)
 
5
|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 15H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:Yellow
Hardness:3½ - 4
Name:For the elements Al, Th, U and P it is composed of
This page provides mineralogical data about Althupite.

Classification of Althupite

IMA status:Approved 1986
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/E.07-130
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.EC.25

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
E : Uranyl phosphates and arsenates
C : UO2:RO4 = 3:2
Dana 8th edition ID:42.4.13.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
4 : (AB)5(XO4)2Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.11.33

19 : Phosphates
11 : Phosphates of U
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Type Occurrence of Althupite

Type Locality:Kobokobo pegmatite, Lusungu River District, Sud-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1987

Physical Properties of Althupite

Colour:Yellow
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4

Crystallography of Althupite

Crystal System:Triclinic

Optical Data of Althupite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.620 nβ = 1.661 nγ = 1.665
2V:Measured: 34° , Calculated: 34°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.045

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r < v strong

Chemical Properties of Althupite

Formula:
AlTh(UO
 
2
)
 
7
[O
 
2
|(OH)
 
5
|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 15H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, O, P, Th, U
All elements listed in formula:Al, H, O, P, Th, U

Relationship of Althupite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.EC.05Françoisite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Sm)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[O|OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 6H
 
2
O
8.EC.05Mundite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5.5H
 
2
O
8.EC.05Phuralumite
Al
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 13H
 
2
O
8.EC.05Upalite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH)·7H
 
2
O
8.EC.05Françoisite-(Ce)
(Ce,Nd,Ca)[(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O(OH)(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]·6H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Arsenuranylite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
4
[(OH)
 
2
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Bergenite
Ca
 
2
Ba
 
4
[(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
3
·16H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Dewindtite
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Kivuite
H
 
2
Th(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[O|OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 6H
 
2
O (?)
8.EC.10Phosphuranylite
(H
 
3
O)
 
3
KCa(UO
 
2
)
 
7
[O|PO
 
4
]
 
4
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Phurcalite
Ca
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[O|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Yingjiangite
(K,Ca)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[OH|(H
 
2
O,OH)|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 3H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Renardite
8.EC.15Dumontite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
8.EC.15Hügelite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[O|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
8.EC.20Metavanmeersscheite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.EC.20Vanmeersscheite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.EC.20Arsenovanmeersscheite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
19.11.1Lermontovite
UPO
 
4
·OH·H
 
2
O
19.11.2Metavanmeersscheite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
19.11.3Vanmeersscheite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.11.4Chernikovite
(H
 
3
O)
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.11.5Vyacheslavite
UPO
 
4
(OH)·nH
 
2
O
19.11.6Metanatroautunite
NaUO
 
2
PO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
19.11.7Yingjiangite
(K,Ca)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[OH|(H
 
2
O,OH)|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 3H
 
2
O
19.11.8Meta-ankoleite
K
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.11.9Uramphite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.11.10Torbernite
Cu(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·12H
 
2
O
19.11.11Metatorbernite
Cu(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.11.12Saléeite
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·10H
 
2
O
19.11.13Ningyoite
CaU(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·1-2H
 
2
O
19.11.14Meta-autunite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
· 6-8H
 
2
O
19.11.15Autunite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·11H
 
2
O
19.11.16Pseudo-autunite
(H
 
3
O)
 
4
Ca
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
4
 · 5H
 
2
O (?)
19.11.17Phurcalite
Ca
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[O|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
19.11.18Phosphuranylite
(H
 
3
O)
 
3
KCa(UO
 
2
)
 
7
[O|PO
 
4
]
 
4
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.11.19Ulrichite
CaCu(UO
 
2
)[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.11.20Bergenite
Ca
 
2
Ba
 
4
[(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
3
·16H
 
2
O
19.11.21Metauranocircite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
19.11.22Uranocircite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
19.11.23Ranunculite
HAlUO
 
2
PO
 
4
(OH)
 
3
·4H
 
2
O
19.11.24Triangulite
Al
 
3
(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
5
·5H
 
2
O
19.11.25Mundite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5.5H
 
2
O
19.11.26Upalite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH)·7H
 
2
O
19.11.27Furongite
Al
 
13
(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
13
(OH)
 
14
 · 58H
 
2
O
19.11.28Threadgoldite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 8H
 
2
O
19.11.29Phuralumite
Al
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 13H
 
2
O
19.11.30Moreauite
Al
 
3
UO
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
·13H
 
2
O
19.11.31Sabugalite
HAl(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·16H
 
2
O
19.11.32Uranospathite
HAl(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·40H
 
2
O
19.11.34Françoisite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Sm)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[O|OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 6H
 
2
O
19.11.35Kivuite
H
 
2
Th(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[O|OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 6H
 
2
O (?)
19.11.36Parsonsite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
19.11.37Dewindtite
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.11.38Dumontite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.11.39Przhevalskite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.11.40Lehnerite
Mn
2+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.11.41Bassetite
Fe
2+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
19.11.42Vochtenite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)Fe
3+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
4
[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 12-13H
 
2
O

Other Names for Althupite

Synonyms:
IMA1986-003
German names:
Althupit
Russian names:
Альтупит
Spanish names:
Althupita

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Althupite

Reference List:Piret, P. and Deliens, M. (1987) Les phosphates d'uranyle et d'aluminium de Kobokobo. IX. L'althupite AlTh(UO2)[(UO2)3O(OH)(PO4)2]2 OH)3·15H2O, nouveau minéral; propriétés et structure cristalline. Bulletin de Mineralogie: 110: 65-72.

American Mineralogist (1988): 73: 189-190.

Bulletin de Mineralogie: 110: 65-72.

Burns, P.C. (2005) U 6+ minerals and inorganic compounds: insights into an expanded structural hierarchy of crystal structures. Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1839-1894.

Internet Links for Althupite

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    Localities for Althupite

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    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Sud-Kivu
      • Lusungu River District
    		Bull.Mineral.(1987) 110, 65-72
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