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Richetite

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Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine), Shinkolobwe, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
© Stephan Wolfsried

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Formula:
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
4
O
 
5
 · 4H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:Coffee-brown to black
Hardness:3½
Name:Named after Emile Richer, Chief Geologist, Union Miniere du Haut-Katanga.
This page provides mineralogical data about Richetite.

Classification of Richetite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/H.07-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.GB.15

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:5.9.5.1

5 : OXIDES CONTAINING URANIUM OR THORIUM
9 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.16.25

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

Type Locality:Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine), Shinkolobwe, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1947

Physical Properties of Richetite

Lustre:Adamantine
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Coffee-brown to black
Hardness (Mohs):3½

Crystallography of Richetite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 20.81Å, b = 12.06Å, c = 16.3Å
α = 103.8°, β = 115.1°, γ = 90.4°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.726 : 1 : 1.352
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,570.24 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Richetite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.900 nβ = 2.000 nγ = 2.000
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.100

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:dispersion not observed

Chemical Properties of Richetite

Formula:
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
4
O
 
5
 · 4H
 
2
O
Essential elements:H, O, Pb, U
All elements listed in formula:H, O, Pb, U

Relationship of Richetite 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.10Protasite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
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
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
4
O
 
3
(OH)
 
4
 · 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
(UO
 
2
)
 
8
O
 
8
(OH)
 
6
 · 3H
 
2
O
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
7.16.14Protasite
Ba(UO
 
2
)
 
3
O
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
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+
 
,REE,Th,Ca)(Ti,Fe
3+
 
,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
7.16.24Fourmarierite
Pb(UO
 
2
)
 
4
O
 
3
(OH)
 
4
 · 4H
 
2
O
7.16.26Curite
Pb
 
3
(UO
 
2
)
 
8
O
 
8
(OH)
 
6
 · 3H
 
2
O
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)(UO
 
2
)O(OH) · 0-1H
 
2
O
7.16.33Uranosphaerite
Bi(UO
 
2
)O
 
2
(OH)

Other Names for Richetite

Other Languages:
German:Richetit
Spanish:Richetita

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 Richetite

Reference List:

- +
American Mineralogist (1948): 33: 384.

Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie (1984): 107: 581.

American Mineralogist (1985): 70: 1335.

Burns, P.C. (1998b) The structure of richetite, a rare lead uranyl oxide hydrate. Canadian Mineralogist: 36: 187-199.

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 Richetite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Richetite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
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    • Localities for Richetite

    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.
    Hide Locality List
    (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.
    Czech Republic
     
    • Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen)
      • Central Bohemia Region
    		Pauliš P., Kopecký S., Černý P. 2007: Uranové minerály České Republiky a jejich naleziště. 1. část. (Kutna Hora, issue 1)
      • Karlovy Vary Region
        • Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge)
          • Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal) District
    		Lapis 2002(7/8), 63-65
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Katanga (Shaba)
      • Katanga Copper Crescent
        • Shinkolobwe
    		Bull.Soc.belge Géol.(1947) 70, B 212-226
    France
     
    • Rhône-Alpes
      • Savoie
        • La Lauzière massif
    		DE ASCENCAO GUEDES R. (2000). La Lauzière : les espèces minérales, Savoie, France. Le Règne Minéral hors-série n°6, pp. 24-39. Editions du Piat.
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