Uraninite Mineral Data

General Uraninite Information

Chemical Formula:

UO2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 270.03 gm

Uranium 88.15 % U 100.00 % UO₂

Oxygen 11.85 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

UO₂

Environment:

Granite and syenite pegmatites. Colloform crusts in high temperature hydrothermal veins. In quartz-pebble conglomerates.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1772

Locality:

Southern parts of the Canadian Precambrian Shield, Bancroft, Ontario. New Hampshire, USA. Transvaal gold-bearing conglomerates. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From its elemental composition containing uranium.

Name Pronunciation:

Uraninite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Broggerite - Th bearing

Gummite

ICSD 29085

PDF 41-1422

Uraninite Image

Images:

Uraninite Uranophane

Comments: Sharp, cubic crystals of black uraninite on yellow uranophane.
Location: Teofilo Otoni, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Scale: Picture size 1.5 mm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Images:

Uraninite

Comments: Polished slab of black "gummite" ore with the uraninite altering to various secondary uranium minerals in a brecciated matrix.
Location: Ruggles mine, Graton, New Hampshire, USA. Scale: Specimen size 11.4 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Images:

Uraninite

Comments: Black uraninite impregnating coaly wood fragments. You can see the woody structure in detail preserved in the uraninite.
Location: Grants mineral district, Westwater Canyon Member of the Morrison Formation.. Scale: Picture size 5 mm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Uraninite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.4682, Z = 4; V = 163.51 Den(Calc)= 10.97

Crystal System:

Isometric - HexoctahedralH-M Symbol (4/m 3 2/m) Space Group: F m3m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.157(1), 1.934(0.49), 2.735(0.48),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 1 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Wyckoff R W G , Crystal Structures , 1 (1963) p.239-444, Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York, Fluorite structure

Physical Properties of Uraninite

Cleavage:

{???} Good

Color:

Brownish black, Gray, Grayish black, Black.

Density:

6.5 - 10.95, Average = 8.72

Diaphaneity:

Nearly opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).

Habit:

Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.

Habit:

Dendritic - Branching "tree-like" growths of great complexity (e.g. pyrolusite).

Hardness:

5-6 - Between Apatite and Orthoclase

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Sub Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

brownish black

Optical Properties of Uraninite

Optical Data:

NCalc= 2.1 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.1) where Ncalc=Dcalc*KC+1
NCalc= 1.87 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.1) where Ncalc=Dmeas*KC+1

RL Color:

Light gray with brownish tint, may show dark brwon internal reflections.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Uraninite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
400 nm	17.60
420 nm	17.30
440 nm	17.00
460 nm	16.80
480 nm	16.50
500 nm	16.30
520 nm	16.20
540 nm	16.00
560 nm	15.90
580 nm	15.80
600 nm	15.90
620 nm	15.90
640 nm	16.00
660 nm	16.00
680 nm	16.10
700 nm	16.20

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Uraninite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	60%	100%	120%	180%	240%	300%	360%	420%	480%	540%	550%
R

Calculated Properties of Uraninite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=8.78 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Uraninite =11.0 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0064036671
Boson Index = 0.9935963329

Photoelectric:

PE_Uraninite=2,500.07 barns/electron
U=PE_Uraninite x r_electron=21938.34 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 6,010,360.79 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Uraninite per GRapi unit = 166.38 (PPB)

Uraninite is Radioactive as defined in 49 CFR 173.403. Greater than 70 Bq / gram.

Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 10 cm box) 5.06 ± 1.27 grams of pure Uraninite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 506.07 ±126.52 grams of pure Uraninite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Uraninite** - very strong
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Becquerels (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 5.58 cm	157,788,157	4.26E-03	6,010,360.79	1,976.01
100 gm / 2.59 cm	15,778,816	4.26E-04	601,036.08	197.60
10 gm / 1.20 cm	1,577,882	4.26E-05	60,103.61	19.76
1 gm / 5.58 mm	157,788	4.26E-06	6,010.36	1.98
0.1 gm / 2.59 mm	15,779	4.26E-07	601.04	0.20
0.01 gm / 1.20 mm	1,578	4.26E-08	60.10	0.02
0.001 gm / 0.56 mm	158	4.26E-09	6.01	0.00

Weight of pure Uraninite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 10.97 gm/cc.*
Goverment Estimate of Average Annual Exposure ( 360 mRem) **
Note: 10 microsieverts/hr = 1 mRem/hr **
Max Permissable Adult Dose 50,000 mRem/yr (hands), 15,000 mRem/yr (eyes)
Lethal Dose LD(50) Exposure 400,000 to 500,000 mRem

Uraninite Classification

Dana Class:

05.01.01.01 (05)Oxides Containing Uranium and Thorium

(05.01)with a cation charge of 4+ (AO2)

(05.01.01)Dana Group

05.01.01.01 Uraninite UO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

05.01.01.02 Thorianite ThO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

04.DL.05 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

04.D - Metal:Oxygen = 1:2 and similar

04.DL -With large (± medium-sized) cations; fluorite-type structures

04.DL.05 Cerianite-(Ce) (Ce,Th)O2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DL.05 Zirkelite (Ca,Th,Ce)Zr(Ti,Nb)2O7 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DL.05 Thorianite ThO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

04.DL.05 Uraninite UO2 F m3m 4/m 3 2/m

Other Uraninite Information

References:

NAME( Mason68) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic3)

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Uraninite Specimen Label here :

Uraninite

UO2
Dana No: 05.01.01.01 Strunz No: 04.DL.05
Locality:

Notes: