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Urea

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Planet Mine (Planet Copper Mine; New Planet Mine), Planet Mine group (New Planet Mine group; Great Central Mine), Planet, Santa Maria District (Planet District; Swansea District; Bill Williams District), Buckskin Mts, La Paz Co., Arizona, USA
© Jerry A. Baird




Formula:
CO(NH
 
2
)
 
2
System:TetragonalColour:Colourless, pale yellow, ...
Name:The name is the common trivial name of this compound (derived from Greek "oura", urine). The systematic name is carbonic acid diamide.


Derived from bat guano and urine, stable only under very arid conditions.

Classification of Urea

IMA status:Approved 1972
Strunz 8th edition ID:9/D.01-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:10.CA.35

10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
C : Miscellaneous Organic Minerals
A : Miscellaneous Organic Minerals
Dana 8th edition ID:50.4.6.1

50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
4 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:32.13

32 :
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-4117.html
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Type Occurrence of Urea

Type Locality:Toppin Hill, Lake Rason, Laverton Shire, Western Australia, Australia
Year of Discovery:1972

Physical Properties of Urea

Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Colourless, pale yellow, pale brown
Streak:yellowish white

Crystallography of Urea

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4 2m - Scalenohedral
Space Group:P4 21m
Cell Parameters:a = 5.646(1) Å, c = 4.701(1) Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.833
Unit Cell Volume:V 149.86 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2

Optical Data of Urea

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.484 nε = 1.603
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.119

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

Chemical Properties of Urea

Formula:
CO(NH
 
2
)
 
2
Essential elements:C, H, N, O
All elements listed in formula:C, H, N, O

Relationship of Urea to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
10.CA.05Refikite
C
 
20
H
 
32
O
 
2
10.CA.10Flagstaffite
C
 
10
H
 
22
O
 
3
10.CA.15Hoelite
C
 
14
H
 
8
O
 
2
10.CA.20Abelsonite
Ni(C
 
31
H
 
32
N
 
4
)
10.CA.25Kladnoite
C
 
6
H
 
4
(CO)
 
2
NH
10.CA.30Guanine
C
 
5
H
 
5
N
 
5
O
10.CA.30Tinnunculite
C
 
10
H
 
12
N
 
8
O
 
8
10.CA.40Uricite
C
 
5
H
 
4
N
 
4
O
 
3
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
32.1Evenkite
C
 
21
H
 
44
32.2 Fitchtelite
32.3Simonellite
C
 
19
H
 
24
32.4Kratochvílite
C
 
13
H
 
10
32.5Idrialite
C
 
22
H
 
14
32.6Carpathite
C
 
24
H
 
12
32.7Refikite
C
 
20
H
 
32
O
 
2
32.8Flagstaffite
C
 
10
H
 
22
O
 
3
32.9Hoelite
C
 
14
H
 
8
O
 
2
32.10Kladnoite
C
 
6
H
 
4
(CO)
 
2
NH
32.11Acetamide
CH
 
3
CONH
 
2
32.12Guanine
C
 
5
H
 
5
N
 
5
O
32.14Uricite
C
 
5
H
 
4
N
 
4
O
 
3
32.15Abelsonite
Ni(C
 
31
H
 
32
N
 
4
)

Other Names for Urea

Synonyms:
IMA1972-031
Other Languages:
German:Harnstoff

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 Urea

Reference List:

- +
Bridge, P.J. (1973): Urea, a new mineral, and neotype phosphammite from Western Australia. Mineral. Mag., 39, 346–348.

American Mineralogist (1974): 59: 874.

Acta Crystallographica (1999).

Internet Links for Urea

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

    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.
    Australia
     
    • Western Australia
      • Laverton Shire
        • Lake Rason
    		Mineralogical Magazine (1973): 39: 346-348.
    Saudi Arabia
     
    • Mintaqah Makkah
    		Saudi Geological Survey Open-File Report SGS-OF-2004-12, 68 p.
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