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Upalite

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Big Photo

Eight Mile Park, Eight Mile Park pegmatite District, Fremont Co., Colorado, USA
© Van King




Formula:
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH) · 7H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Amber-yellow, ...
Name:The name reflects its composition: uranyl (U), phosphorus (P) and aluminium (Al).


Upalite Group.

Classification of Upalite

IMA status:Approved 1978
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/E.05-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.EC.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
E : Uranyl phosphates and arsenates
C : UO2:RO4 = 3:2
Dana 8th edition ID:42.7.12.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
7 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.11.26

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

Type Locality:Kobokobo pegmatite, Lusungu River District, Sud-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1978

Physical Properties of Upalite

Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Amber-yellow, yellow-brown

Crystallography of Upalite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 13.7Å, b = 16.82Å, c = 9.33Å
β = 111.5°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.815 : 1 : 0.555
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,000.35 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Upalite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.649 nβ = 1.666 nγ = 1.676
2V:Measured: 74° , Calculated: 74°
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:strong

Chemical Properties of Upalite

Formula:
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH) · 7H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, O, P, U
All elements listed in formula:Al, H, O, P, U

Relationship of Upalite to other Species

Structurally related to group(s):
Upalite Group
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.EC.05Françoisite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Sm)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH) · 6H
 
2
O
8.EC.05Phuralumite
Al
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 13H
 
2
O
8.EC.05Françoisite-(Ce)
(Ce,Nd,Ca)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH) · 6H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Arsenuranylite
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Dewindtite
H
 
2
Pb
 
3
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
O
 
4
 · 12H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Kivuite
(Th,Ca,Pb)(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(HPO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
8
 · 7H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Phosphuranylite
(H
 
3
O)
 
3
KCa(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
O
 
4
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.EC.10Yingjiangite
K
 
2
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 6H
 
2
O
8.EC.15Dumontite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
 · 3H
 
2
O
8.EC.15Hügelite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
8.EC.20Metavanmeersscheite
U
6+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.EC.20Vanmeersscheite
U
6+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.EC.20Arsenovanmeersscheite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.EC.25Althupite
AlTh(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
5
O
 
2
 · 15H
 
2
O
8.EC.30Mundite
Al(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
3
 · 5.5H
 
2
O
8.EC.35Phurcalite
Ca
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
8.EC.40Bergenite
Ca
 
2
Ba
 
4
(UO
 
2
)
 
9
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
O
 
6
 · 16H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
19.11.1Lermontovite
U(PO
 
4
)(OH) · H
 
2
O
19.11.2Metavanmeersscheite
U
6+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
19.11.3Vanmeersscheite
U
6+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 4H
 
2
O
19.11.4Chernikovite
(H
 
3
O)
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 6H
 
2
O
19.11.5Vyacheslavite
U(PO
 
4
)(OH) · nH
 
2
O
19.11.6Metanatroautunite
Na(UO
 
2
)(PO
 
4
)(H
 
2
O)
 
3
19.11.7Yingjiangite
K
 
2
Ca(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
6
 · 6H
 
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
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
 · 7H
 
2
O
19.11.18Phosphuranylite
(H
 
3
O)
 
3
KCa(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
O
 
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
)
 
9
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
O
 
6
 · 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
HAl(UO
 
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
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
3
 · 5.5H
 
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
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH) · 8H
 
2
O
19.11.29Phuralumite
Al
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 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
(Al,☐)(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
F · 20(H
 
2
O,F)
19.11.33Althupite
AlTh(UO
 
2
)
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
5
O
 
2
 · 15H
 
2
O
19.11.34Françoisite-(Nd)
(Nd,Ce,Sm)(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH) · 6H
 
2
O
19.11.35Kivuite
(Th,Ca,Pb)(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(HPO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
8
 · 7H
 
2
O
19.11.36Parsonsite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)(PO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
19.11.37Dewindtite
H
 
2
Pb
 
3
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
O
 
4
 · 12H
 
2
O
19.11.38Dumontite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
 · 3H
 
2
O
19.11.39Przhevalskite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
 · 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
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH) · 12-13H
 
2
O

Other Names for Upalite

Synonyms:
IMA1978-045
Other Languages:
German:Upalit
Russian:Упалит
Simplified Chinese:磷铝铀矿 II
Spanish:Upalita

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 Upalite

Reference List:

- +
Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie (1979): 102: 333-337.

American Mineralogist (1980): 65: 208.

Piret, P. and Declercq, J.-P. (1983) Structure cristalline de l'upalite Al[(UO2)3OOH)(PO4)2]·7H2O. Un exemple de macle mimétique. Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie et de Cristallographie: 106: 383-389.

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 Upalite

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

    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.
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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.Minéral.(1979) 102, 333-337
    USA
     
    • Colorado
      • Fremont Co.
        • Eight Mile Park pegmatite District
    		Sidney A. Williams specimen
    Mineral and/or Locality
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