schoepite
Sign in to saveSchoepite, empirical formula (UO2)8O2(OH)12·12(H2O) is a rare alteration product of uraninite in hydrothermal uranium deposits. It may also form directly from ianthinite. The mineral presents as a transparent to translucent yellow, lemon yellow, brownish yellow, or amber orthorhombic tabular crystals. Although over 20 other crystal forms have been noted; rarely in microcrystalline aggregates. When exposed to air schoepite converts over a short time to the metaschoepite form (UO3·H2O, ) within a few months of being exposed to ambient air.
Key facts
- Mineral.name
- Schoepite
- Mineral.category
- Uranium minerals
- Mineral.image
- Schoepite-Rutherfordine-214963.jpg
- Mineral.imagesize
- 260
- Mineral.formula
- (UO2)8O2(OH)12 • 12(H2O)
- Mineral.IMAsymbol
- Sho
- Mineral.strunz
- 4.GA.05
- Mineral.system
- Orthorhombic
- Mineral.class
- Pyramidal (mm2) H-M symbol: (mm2)
- Mineral.symmetry
- P21ca
- Mineral.unit cell
- a = 14.33 Å, b = 16.79 Å c = 14.73 Å; Z = 4
- Mineral.color
- Amber, lemon- or sulfur yellow
- Mineral.habit
- Commonly as tabular equant, to short prismatic crystals; rarely in microcrystalline aggregates
- Mineral.cleavage
- [001] Perfect, [010] indistinct
- Mineral.tenacity
- Brittle
- Mineral.mohs
- 2.5
- Mineral.luster
- Adamantine
- Mineral.streak
- Yellow
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
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Schoepite, empirical formula (UO2)8O2(OH)12·12(H2O) is a rare alteration product of uraninite in hydrothermal uranium deposits. It may also form directly from ianthinite. The mineral presents as a transparent to translucent yellow, lemon yellow, brownish yellow, or amber orthorhombic tabular crystals. Although over 20 other crystal forms have been noted; rarely in microcrystalline aggregates. When exposed to air schoepite converts over a short time to the metaschoepite form (UO3·H2O, ) within a few months of being exposed to ambient air.
The hardness is 2.5, density is 4.8 g/cm3, and it streaks yellow.