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Schoepite

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La Dorgissière Mine, Saint-Amand-sur-Sèvre, Deux-Sèvres, Poitou-Charentes, France
© JM. Johannet

Show Schoepite Photos (30)
Formula:
(UO
 
2
)
 
8
O
 
2
(OH)
 
12
 · 12H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicColour:Amber-, lemon- or ...
Hardness:2½
Name:Named after Alfred Schoep (1881-1966) Professor of Mineralogy, University of Ghent, Belgium.


Schoepite Group

Classification of Schoepite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/H.01-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.GA.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
G : Uranyl Hydroxides
A : Without additional cations
Dana 8th edition ID:5.2.1.3

5 : OXIDES CONTAINING URANIUM OR THORIUM
2 : AXO3·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.16.2

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

Type Locality:Shinkolobwe Mine (Kasolo Mine), Shinkolobwe, Central area, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1923

Physical Properties of Schoepite

Lustre:Adamantine
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Amber-, lemon- or sulphur-yellow
Streak:Yellow
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Cleavage:Perfect
{001} perfect
Density (measured):4.8 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.83 g/cm3

Crystallography of Schoepite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 14.33Å, b = 16.79Å, c = 14.73Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.853 : 1 : 0.877
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,544.05 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Usually tabular {001}; also equant or short prismatic [001].

Optical Data of Schoepite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.690 nβ = 1.714 nγ = 1.735
2V:Measured: 89°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.045

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:High
Dispersion:weak to moderate
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:X = c = Colourless
Y = b = Lemon-yellow
Z = a = Lemon-yellow

Chemical Properties of Schoepite

Formula:
(UO
 
2
)
 
8
O
 
2
(OH)
 
12
 · 12H
 
2
O
Essential elements:H, O, U
All elements listed in formula:H, O, U

Relationship of Schoepite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.GA.05Metaschoepite
UO
 
3
 · 1-2H
 
2
O
4.GA.05Paraschoepite
UO
 
3
 · 2H
 
2
O
4.GA.10Ianthinite
U
4+
 
(UO
 
2
)
 
5
O
 
7
 · 10H
 
2
O
4.GA.15Metastudtite
UO
 
4
 · 2H
 
2
O
4.GA.15Studtite
[(UO
 
2
)(O
 
2
)(H
 
2
O)
 
2
]·H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.16.1Uraninite
UO
 
2
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+
 
,Ca)(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
6
7.16.24Fourmarierite
PbU
 
4
O
 
13
·4H
 
2
O
7.16.25Richetite
PbU
 
4
O
 
13
·4H
 
2
O
7.16.26Curite
Pb
 
3+x
(H
 
2
O)
 
2
[(UO
 
2
)
 
4
O
 
4+x
(OH)
 
3-x
]
 
2
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)
 
2
U
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
7.16.33Uranosphaerite
Bi(UO
 
2
)O
 
2
(OH)

Other Names for Schoepite

Synonyms:
EpiianthiniteEpi-IanthiteSchepite-I
Other Languages:
German:Epiianthinit
Epijanthinit
Schoepit
Russian:Скупит
Spanish:Epiianthinita
Schoepita

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 Schoepite

Reference List:Walker (1923), American Mineralogist: 8: 67.

Ungemach (1929), Soc. géol. Belgique, Ann. publ. Congo belge 52: C75.

Schoep, A. (1930), Ann. mus. Congo belge: 1(1), no. 2: 18.

Palache, C. (1934), American Mineralogist: 19: 310.

Billiet and de Jong (1935) Natuurw. Tijdschr.: 17: 157.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 627-628.

American Mineralogist (1960): 45: 1026-1061.

Vochten, R. and L. Van Haverbeke (1990), Transformation of schoepite into the uranyl oxide hydrates: becquerelite, billietite and wölsendorfite: Mineralogy and Petrology: 43: 65-72.

Finch, R.J., M. Cooper, F.C. Hawthorne, and R.C. Ewing (1996), The crystal structure of schoepite: Canadian Mineralogist: 34: 1071-1088.

Sowder, A.G., S.B. Clark, and R.A. Fjeld (1996), The effect of silica and phosphate on the transformation of schoepite to becquerelite and other uranyl phases: Radiochimica Acta: 74: 45-49.

Finch, R.J. and F.C. Hawthorne (1998), Structural relations among schoepite, metaschoepite and "dehydrated schoepite." Canadian Mineralogist: 36: 831-845.

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 Schoepite

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    Localities for Schoepite

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