Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Liebigite

Big Photo

Rabejac, Lodève, Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
© Elmar Lackner 2009

Show Liebigite Photos (18)
Formula:
Ca
 
2
(UO
 
2
)[CO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 11H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicColour:Green to yellowish-green
Lustre:Vitreous, PearlyHardness:2½ - 3
Name:
For German chemist Justus von Liebig (1803-1873), founder of analytical chemistry.


A secondary uranium mineral.

Classification of Liebigite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/F.02-70
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.ED.20

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
E : Uranyl Carbonates
D : UO2:CO3 = 1:3
Dana 8th edition ID:15.3.2.1

15 : HYDRATED NORMAL CARBONATES
3 : AmBn(XO3)p·xH2O, with (m+n):p = 1:1
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-2398.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Liebigite

Type Locality:Adrianople, Edirne Province, Marmara Region, Turkey
Year of Discovery:1848

Occurrences of Liebigite

Geological Setting:Secondary mineral formed by alkteration of uraninite in alkaline carbonate solutions.

Physical Properties of Liebigite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Comment:Pearly on cleavage {100}
Colour:Green to yellowish-green
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
On {100}.
Density (measured):2.41 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.43 g/cm3

Crystallography of Liebigite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mm2 - Pyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 16.699Å, b = 17.557Å, c = 13.697Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.951 : 1 : 0.78
Unit Cell Volume:V 4,015.75 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Crystals equant or short prismatic [001], normally indistinct with rounded edges and convex or vicinal faces. Commonly granular or scaly aggregates and thin crusts; botryoidal.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Liebigite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.497 nβ = 1.502 nγ = 1.539
2V:Measured: 37° to 42°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.042

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:moderate r > v
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:X = Nearly colourless
Y = Light yellowish green
Z = Light yellowish green

Chemical Properties of Liebigite

Formula:
Ca
 
2
(UO
 
2
)[CO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 11H
 
2
O
Essential elements:C, Ca, H, O, U
All elements listed in formula:C, Ca, H, O, U

Relationship of Liebigite to other Species

Common Associates:
SchröckingeriteUraniniteAutuniteCarnotite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
5.ED.05Bayleyite
Mg
 
2
(UO
 
2
)[CO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 18H
 
2
O
5.ED.10Swartzite
MgCa(UO
 
2
)[CO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 12H
 
2
O
5.ED.15Albrechtschraufite
Ca
 
4
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[F
 
2
|(CO
 
3
)
 
6
] · 17 H
 
2
O
5.ED.25Rabbittite
Ca
 
3
Mg
 
3
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|(CO
 
3
)
 
6
] · 18H
 
2
O
5.ED.30Andersonite
Na
 
2
Ca(UO
 
2
)[CO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 6H
 
2
O
5.ED.35Grimselite
K
 
3
Na(UO
 
2
)[CO
 
3
]
 
3
 · H
 
2
O
5.ED.40Widenmannite
Pb
 
2
(UO
 
2
)[CO
 
3
]
 
3
5.ED.45Znucalite
Zn
 
12
Ca(UO
 
2
)[(OH)
 
22
|(CO
 
3
)
 
3
] · 4H
 
2
O
5.ED.50Čejkaite
Na
 
4
(UO
 
2
)(CO
 
3
)
 
3

Other Names for Liebigite

Synonyms:
FlutheriteHebergiteMedjiditeUranothallite
Other Languages:
German:Flutherit
Hebergit
Kalk-Uran-carbonate
Liebigit
Uranothallit
Russian:Либигит
Spanish:Flutherita
Hebergita
Liebigita
Uranothallita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Green to blue green fluorescence (LW & SWUV).
Other Information:Soluble in H2SO4 with effervescence.
Health Warning:Radioactive

References for Liebigite

Reference List:Smith (1848) American Journal of Science: 5: 336.

Smith (1851) American Journal of Science: 11: 259.

Vogl (1853) Jahrbuch Geol. Reichsanst., Vienna: 4: 221 (as Kalk-Uran-carbonate).

Lindacker analysis in: Vogl (1856) Gangverh. Mineralreich. Joachimsthal, Teplitz.

Weisbach, Albin (1875) Synopsis mineralogical, systematische Übersicht des Mineralreiches. 78 pp., Freiberg: 48 (as Flutherite).

Schrauf (1882) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 6: 410 (as Uranothallite).

Brezina (1890) Annalen des kaiserlich-königlichen naturhistorischen Hofmuseums Wien: 5: 495.

Esper S. Larsen (1917) The probable identity of uranothallite and liebigite. American Mineralogist, 2, #7, 87.

Meixner (1940) Zentralblatt Mineralien: 145.

Evans and Frondel (1950) American Mineralogist: 35: 251.

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 240-241.

Mereiter, K. (1982a) The crystal structure of liebigite, Ca2UO2(CO3)3·11H2O. Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen (1982): 30: 277-288.

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 Liebigite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Liebigite on Google
  • Look for Liebigite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Liebigite on Webmineral
  • Look for Liebigite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Liebigite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Liebigite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Liebigite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Liebigite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality specimens
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Search for - Liebigite - on e-Rocks Mineral Sales & Auctions
  • Lapis Mineral Magazin
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • Edwards Minerals - Fine Specimens
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Liebigite specimens
  • Buy minerals from Mineralium.com
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Find Liebigite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Liebigite

    Show Locality List (79 Items)
    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.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 4th Nov 2009 08:02:08