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Protasite

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Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine), Shinkolobwe, Central area, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
© Thomas Witzke

Formula:
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Light Orange
Lustre:Sub-Adamantine
Name:Named for Professor Jean Protas (1932– ), French mineralogist, University of Nancy, Nancy, France, who first synthesized the compound, and for his work with uranium oxide minerals.
This page provides mineralogical data about Protasite.

Classification of Protasite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/H.03-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.GB.10

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
G : Uranyl Hydroxides
B : With additional cations (K, Ca, Ba, Pb, etc.); with mainly UO2(O,OH)5 pentagonal polyhedra
Dana 8th edition ID:5.5.3.1

5 : OXIDES CONTAINING URANIUM OR THORIUM
5 : AX3O10·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.16.14

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
16 : Oxides of U
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Type Occurrence of Protasite

Type Locality:Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine), Shinkolobwe, Central area, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1986

Physical Properties of Protasite

Lustre:Sub-Adamantine
Colour:Light Orange

Crystallography of Protasite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 12.29Å, b = 7.22Å, c = 6.95Å
β = 90.4°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.702 : 1 : 0.963
Unit Cell Volume:V 616.68 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Protasite

Type:Biaxial (-)
Dispersion:r > v

Chemical Properties of Protasite

Formula:
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ba, H, O, U
All elements listed in formula:Ba, H, O, U

Relationship of Protasite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.GB.05Agrinierite
K
 
2
(Ca,Sr)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
4.GB.05Compreignacite
K
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
O
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 7H
 
2
O
4.GB.05Rameauite
K
 
2
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
6
(OH)
 
16
 · H
 
2
O
4.GB.10Becquerelite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
6
O
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 8H
 
2
O
4.GB.10Billietite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
6
O
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 4-8H
 
2
O
4.GB.15Richetite
PbU
 
4
O
 
13
·4H
 
2
O
4.GB.20Bauranoite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 1-2H
 
2
O
4.GB.20Calciouranoite
(Ca,Ba,Pb)U
 
2
O
 
7
·5H
 
2
O
4.GB.20Metacalciouranoite
(Ca,Ba,Pb,K
 
2
)U
 
2
O
 
7
·2H
 
2
O
4.GB.25Fourmarierite
PbU
 
4
O
 
13
·4H
 
2
O
4.GB.30Wölsendorfite
(Pb,Ca)U
 
2
O
 
7
·2H
 
2
O
4.GB.35Masuyite
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
4.GB.40Metavandendriesscheite
PbU
 
7
O
 
22
·nH
 
2
O n < 12
4.GB.40Vandendriesscheite
PbU
 
7
O
 
22
·12H
 
2
O
4.GB.45Vandenbrandeite
Cu(UO
 
2
)(OH)
 
4
4.GB.50Sayrite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
5
O
 
6
(OH)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
4.GB.55Curite
Pb
 
3+x
(H
 
2
O)
 
2
[(UO
 
2
)
 
4
O
 
4+x
(OH)
 
3-x
]
 
2
4.GB.60Iriginite
UO
 
2
Mo
 
2
O
 
7
·3H
 
2
O
4.GB.65Uranosphaerite
Bi(UO
 
2
)O
 
2
(OH)
4.GB.70Holfertite
Ca
 
x
U
6+
2-x
Ti(O
 
8-x
OH
 
4x
) · 3H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.16.1Uraninite
UO
 
2
7.16.2Schoepite
(UO
 
2
)
 
8
O
 
2
(OH)
 
12
 · 12H
 
2
O
7.16.3Paraschoepite
UO
 
3
 · 2H
 
2
O
7.16.4Metaschoepite
UO
 
3
 · 1-2H
 
2
O
7.16.5Metastudtite
UO
 
4
 · 2H
 
2
O
7.16.6Studtite
[(UO
 
2
)(O
 
2
)(H
 
2
O)
 
2
]·H
 
2
O
7.16.7Ianthinite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
5
O
 
7
 · 10H
 
2
O
7.16.8Compreignacite
K
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
O
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 7H
 
2
O
7.16.9Vandenbrandeite
Cu(UO
 
2
)(OH)
 
4
7.16.10Roubaultite
Cu
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(OH)
 
10
 · 5H
 
2
O
7.16.11Becquerelite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
6
O
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 8H
 
2
O
7.16.12Rameauite
K
 
2
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
6
(OH)
 
16
 · H
 
2
O
7.16.13Agrinierite
K
 
2
(Ca,Sr)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
7.16.15Billietite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
6
O
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 4-8H
 
2
O
7.16.16Bauranoite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 1-2H
 
2
O
7.16.17Metacalciouranoite
(Ca,Ba,Pb,K
 
2
)U
 
2
O
 
7
·2H
 
2
O
7.16.18Calciouranoite
(Ca,Ba,Pb)U
 
2
O
 
7
·5H
 
2
O
7.16.19Orthobrannerite
U
4+
 
U
6+
 
Ti
 
4
O
 
12
(OH)
 
2
7.16.20Thorutite
(Th,U,Ca)Ti
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
7.16.21Davidite-(La)
(La,Ce)(Y,U,Fe)(Ti,Fe)
 
20
(O,OH)
 
38
7.16.22Davidite-(Ce)
(Ce,La)(Y,U,Fe)(Ti,Fe)
 
20
(O,OH)
 
38
7.16.23Brannerite
(U
4+
 
,Ca)(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
6
7.16.24Fourmarierite
PbU
 
4
O
 
13
·4H
 
2
O
7.16.25Richetite
PbU
 
4
O
 
13
·4H
 
2
O
7.16.26Curite
Pb
 
3+x
(H
 
2
O)
 
2
[(UO
 
2
)
 
4
O
 
4+x
(OH)
 
3-x
]
 
2
7.16.27Masuyite
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
7.16.28Vandendriesscheite
PbU
 
7
O
 
22
·12H
 
2
O
7.16.29Metavandendriesscheite
PbU
 
7
O
 
22
·nH
 
2
O n < 12
7.16.30Sayrite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
5
O
 
6
(OH)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
7.16.31Wölsendorfite
(Pb,Ca)U
 
2
O
 
7
·2H
 
2
O
7.16.32Clarkeite
(Na,Ca,Pb)
 
2
U
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
7.16.33Uranosphaerite
Bi(UO
 
2
)O
 
2
(OH)

Other Names for Protasite

Synonyms:
IMA1984-001
Other Languages:
German:Protasit
Russian:Протасит
Spanish:Protasita

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 Protasite

Reference List:Mineralogical Magazine (1986): 50: 125-128.

Pagoaga, M.K., Appleman, D.E., and Stewart, J.M. (1987) Crystal structures and crystal chemistry of the uranyl oxide hydrates becquerelite, billietite, and protasite. American Mineralogist: 72: 1230-1238.

Burns, P.C. and Hanchar, J.M. (1999) The structure of masuyite, Pb[(UO2)3O3(OH)2](H2O)3, and its relationship to protasite. Canadian Mineralogist: 37: 1483-1491.

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 Protasite

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  • Protasite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Protasite

    Hide Locality List
    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    (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)
     
    • Katanga (Shaba)
      • Katanga Copper Crescent
        • Central area
          • Shinkolobwe
    		Amer.Min.(1987) 72, 1230-1238
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Black Forest
        • Wolfach
          • Oberwolfach
            • Rankach valley
    		Kolitsch, U. & Götzinger, M. (2000): Einige Neufunde aus der Grube Clara im mittleren Schwarzwald: Eulytin, Namibit, Volborthit, Gearksutit, Spertiniit, Monazit-(La), Protasit, Sainfeldit, Cyanotrichit und Vauquelinit. Erzgräber 14, 33-47. (in German)
    Russia
     
    • Eastern-Siberian Region
      • Transbaikalia (Zabaykalye)
        • Chitinskaya Oblast'
          • Krasnokamensk
            • Strel'tsovskoe Mo-U ore field
    		Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 46
    Mineral and/or Locality
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