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Ranunculite

Big Photo

Kobokobo pegmatite, Lusungu River District, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
© Stephan Wolfsried

Formula:
HAlUO
 
2
PO
 
4
(OH)
 
3
·4H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Yellow
Hardness:3
Name:From Latin ranunculus, buttercup, alluding to its gold-yellow color.
This page provides mineralogical data about Ranunculite.

Classification of Ranunculite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/E.05-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.EB.40

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
E : Uranyl phosphates and arsenates
B : UO2:RO4 = 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:42.2.2.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
2 : (AB)3(XO4)Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.11.23

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

Type Locality:Kobokobo pegmatite, Lusungu River District, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1979

Physical Properties of Ranunculite

Colour:Yellow
Hardness (Mohs):3

Crystallography of Ranunculite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 11.1Å, b = 17.7Å, c = 18Å
β = 90°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.627 : 1 : 1.017
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,536.46 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Ranunculite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.643 nβ = 1.664 nγ = 1.670
2V:Measured: 56° , Calculated: 54°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.027

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

Chemical Properties of Ranunculite

Formula:
HAlUO
 
2
PO
 
4
(OH)
 
3
·4H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, O, P, U
All elements listed in formula:Al, H, O, P, U

Relationship of Ranunculite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.EB.05Autunite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·11H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Heinrichite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·10H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Kahlerite
Fe(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·12H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Nováčekite
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·12H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Saléeite
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·10H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Torbernite
Cu(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·12H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Uranocircite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Uranospinite
Ca(UO
 
2
)(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·10H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Xiangjiangite
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)(UO
 
2
)
 
4
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 22H
 
2
O
8.EB.05Zeunerite
Cu(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·12H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Bassetite
Fe
2+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Lehnerite
Mn
2+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Meta-autunite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
· 6-8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metasaléeite
Mg(UO
 
2
)(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metauranocircite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metauranospinite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metaheinrichite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metakahlerite
Fe
2+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metakirchheimerite
Co(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metanováčekite
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4-8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metatorbernite
Cu(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Metazeunerite
Cu(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Przhevalskite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
8.EB.10Meta-lodèvite
8.EB.15Abernathyite
K
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EB.15Chernikovite
(H
 
3
O)
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EB.15Meta-ankoleite
K
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EB.15Natrouranospinite
(Na
 
2
,Ca)(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
8.EB.15Trögerite
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·12H
 
2
O (?)
8.EB.15Uramphite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EB.15Uramarsite
(NH
 
4
,H
 
3
O)
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)]
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EB.20Threadgoldite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 8H
 
2
O
8.EB.20Chistyakovaite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[(F,OH)|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 6.5H
 
2
O
8.EB.25Arsenuranospathite
HAl(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(AsO
 
4
)
 
4
·40H
 
2
O
8.EB.25Sabugalite
HAl(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·16H
 
2
O
8.EB.25Uranospathite
HAl(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·40H
 
2
O
8.EB.30Vochtenite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)Fe
3+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
4
[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 12-13H
 
2
O
8.EB.35Coconinoite
Fe
3+
2
Al
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|SO
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 20H
 
2
O
8.EB.45Triangulite
Al
 
3
(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
5
·5H
 
2
O
8.EB.50Furongite
Al
 
13
(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
13
(OH)
 
14
 · 58H
 
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
19.11.24Triangulite
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
19.11.33Althupite
AlTh(UO
 
2
)
 
7
[O
 
2
|(OH)
 
5
|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 15H
 
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 Ranunculite

Synonyms:
IMA1978-067
German names:
Ranunculit
Spanish names:
Ranunculita

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 Ranunculite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1980): 65: 407.

Internet Links for Ranunculite

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    Localities for Ranunculite

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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)
     
    • South Kivu
      • Lusungu River District
    		[Min.Mag.(1979) 43, 321-323; MinRec 11:112]
    Mineral and/or Locality
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