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Becquerelite

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Becquerelite
Spray of becquerelite crystals with uranophane needles from the old Shinkolobwe mine
General
CategoryOxide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6·8(H2O)
IMA symbolBqr[1]
Strunz classification4.GB.10
Crystal systemOrthorhombic
Crystal classPyramidal (mm2)
H-M symbol: (mm2)
Space groupPn21a
Unit cella = 13.8378 Å,
b = 12.3781 Å,
c = 14.9238 Å; Z = 4
Identification
ColourAmber-yellow, golden to lemon-yellow, yellow-orange, brownish yellow
Crystal habitTabular prismatic striated crystals exhibiting pseudohexagonal outline; coatings and fine-grained aggregates
CleavagePerfect on {001}; imperfect on {101}, {010} and {110}
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness2.5
LustreAdamantine to greasy
StreakYellow
DiaphaneityTransparent
Specific gravity5.09–5.2
Optical propertiesBiaxial (−)
Refractive indexnα = 1.725 – 1.735 nβ = 1.815 – 1.825 nγ = 1.825 – 1.830
Birefringenceδ = 0.100
PleochroismX = colourless to pale yellow, Y = Z = yellow to deep yellow
2V angleMeasured: 32°
Common impuritiesCommonly contains lead
Other characteristics Radioactive
References[2][3][4]

Becquerelite is a uranium mineral with the chemical formula: Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6·8(H2O). It is a secondary mineral which contains calcium and is a bright yellow colour. It has a Mohs hardness of about 2.

It was named after the French physicist Antoine Henri Becquerel (1852–1908), who discovered radioactivity in 1896. Becquerelite contains about 70% uranium by weight.

It is mainly mined in Kasolo of the former Zaire, in the present day Democratic Republic of the Congo.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ Handbook of Mineralogy
  3. ^ Mindat.org
  4. ^ Webmineral data