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Uranopilite

Big Photo

Krunkelbach Valley Uranium deposit, Menzenschwand, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
© Elmar Lackner

Show Uranopilite Photos (15)
Formula:
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
[(OH)
 
10
|SO
 
4
] · 12H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Bright yellow, ...
Lustre:Silky, Earthy
Name:The name reflects its composition and habit, containing URANium plus Greek πίλος = "PILos" "felt", alluding to its felt-like appearence.
This page provides mineralogical data about Uranopilite.

Classification of Uranopilite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/D.20-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.EA.05

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
E : Uranyl sulfates
A : Without cations
Dana 8th edition ID:31.2.6.1

31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
2 : (AB)6(XO4)Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:25.8.9

25 : Sulphates
8 : Sulphates of Sb, V, Cr and U
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Type Occurrence of Uranopilite

Co-type Localities:Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Ostrov, Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge), Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic
Johanngeorgenstadt, Johanngeorgenstadt District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Year of Discovery:1882

Physical Properties of Uranopilite

Lustre:Silky, Earthy
Colour:Bright yellow, straw-yellow; colourless to light yellow in transmitted light.
Cleavage:Perfect
On {010}, perfect.
Density (measured):3.7 - 4 g/cm3

Crystallography of Uranopilite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Morphology:Occurs as velvety incrustations and globular or reniform masses comprised of microscopic needles or laths, elongated [001] and flattened {010}.

Optical Data of Uranopilite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.621 - 1.623 nβ = 1.623 - 1.625 nγ = 1.632 - 1.634
2V:Measured: 50° , Calculated: 52°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.011

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r > v to r < v strong
Pleochroism:Not Visible

Chemical Properties of Uranopilite

Formula:
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
[(OH)
 
10
|SO
 
4
] · 12H
 
2
O
Essential elements:H, O, S, U
All elements listed in formula:H, O, S, U

Relationship of Uranopilite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.EA.05Meta-uranopilite
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
[(OH)
 
10
|SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.EA.10Jáchymovite
(UO
 
2
)
 
8
[(OH)
 
14
|SO
 
4
] · 13H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
25.8.1Klebelsbergite
Sb
 
4
[O
 
4
|(OH)
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
25.8.2Coquandite
Sb
 
6
[O
 
8
|SO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
25.8.3Peretaite
Ca(SbO)
 
4
[(OH)|SO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
25.8.4Cannonite
Bi
 
2
[O|(OH)
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
25.8.5Minasragrite
(V
4+
 
O)[SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
25.8.6Stanleyite
(V
4+
 
O)[SO
 
4
] · 6H
 
2
O
25.8.7Redingtonite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Ni)(Cr,Al)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
25.8.8Meta-uranopilite
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
[(OH)
 
10
|SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
25.8.10Natrozippeite
Na
 
4
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
[(OH)
 
10
|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 4H
 
2
O
25.8.11Zippeite
K
 
4
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
[(OH)
 
10
|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 4H
 
2
O
25.8.12Johannite
Cu(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[OH|SO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
25.8.13Magnesiozippeite
Mg(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
4
·1.5H
 
2
O
25.8.14Zinczippeite
Zn
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
6
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
10
·16H
 
2
O

Other Names for Uranopilite

Synonyms:
Uranocher
Other Languages:
German:Basisches Uransulphat
Uranopilit
Russian:Уранопилит
Spanish:Uranopilita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Bright yellowish-green (UV).
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 Uranopilite

Reference List:Dauber (1854) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 92: 237 (as Basisches Uransulphat).

Weisbach A. (1882), Mineralogische Notizen II. 17. Uranocher, Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Bd. 2, 258-259.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 150.

Mellon in: Buttgenbach (1935) Mém. Inst. Roy. Colon. Belge: 6: 449.

Nováček (1935) Soc. sc. Bohême, Mém., no. 7.

Nováček (1942) Vĕst. Král. ČeskéSpol. Nauk, no. 17.

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. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 581-582.

American Mineralogist (1952): 37: 950-959.

Bulletin of the National Museum, Prague (1984): 153: 172-182.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Abhandlungen (1996): 170: 155.

Burns, P.C. (2001a) A new uranyl sulfate chain in the structure of uranopilite. Canadian Mineralogist: 39: 1139-1146.

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 Uranopilite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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    Localities for Uranopilite

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