Andersonite Mineral Data

General Andersonite Information

Chemical Formula:

Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3•6(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 644.20 gm

Sodium 7.14 % Na 9.62 % Na₂O

Calcium 6.22 % Ca 8.70 % CaO

Uranium 36.95 % U 41.92 % UO₂

Hydrogen 1.88 % H 16.78 % H₂O

Carbon 5.59 % C 20.49 % CO₂

Oxygen 42.22 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 97.52 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Na₂Ca(UO₂)(CO₃)₃•6(H₂O)

Environment:

Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1948

Locality:

Hillside mine, Bagdad, Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Charles Alfred Anderson (1902-1990), U. S. Geological Survey.

Name Pronunciation:

Andersonite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 15533

PDF 20-1092

Andersonite Image

Images:

Andersonite

Comments: Yellow crusts of andersonite in sandstone.
Location: Atomic King mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Scale: 4x3x2 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Andersonite

Comments: Veins of bright yellowish green, andersonite in sandstone. The fluorescence of this mineral is noticeable under ambient office lighting plus a UV lamp.
Location: Atomic King Mine, Cane Creek Canyon, Grand County, Utah, USA. Scale: Specimen size 6 cm.
© Paul M. Schumacher

Andersonite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.32367

Cell Dimensions:

a = 18.009, c = 23.838, Z = 18; V = 6,695.45 Den(Calc)= 2.88

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Rhombohedral H-M Symbol ( 3) Space Group: R 3

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.67(1), 7.93(1), 13(1),

Physical Properties of Andersonite

Color:

Bright yellow green, Green.

Density:

2.79 - 2.87, Average = 2.83

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Habit:

Druse - Crystal growth in a cavity which results in numerous crystal tipped surfaces.

Habit:

Pseudo Cubic - Crystals show a cubic outline.

Habit:

Rhombohedral Crystals - Occurs as well-formed crystals showing rhobohedral crystals.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Fluorescent, Short UV=bright yellow green, Long UV=bright yellow green.

Luster:

Vitreous - Pearly

Optical Properties of Andersonite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.048 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.029 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.184,KPDmeas= 0.1873,KC= 0.1788
Ncalc = 1.5 - 1.51

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.52, e=1.54, bire=0.0200.

Calculated Properties of Andersonite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.68 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Andersonite =2.88 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.003565088
Boson Index = 0.996434912

Photoelectric:

PE_Andersonite= 901.12 barns/electron
U=PE_Andersonite x r_electron=2,417.14 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 2,933,372.11 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Andersonite per GRapi unit = 340.90 (PPB)

Andersonite 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) 10.37 ± 2.59 grams of pure Andersonite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 1036.9 ±259.23 grams of pure Andersonite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Andersonite** - very strong
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Bequerols (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 8.72 cm	66,139,203	1.79E-03	2,933,372.11	964.40
100 gm / 4.05 cm	6,613,920	1.79E-04	293,337.21	96.44
10 gm / 1.88 cm	661,392	1.79E-05	29,333.72	9.64
1 gm / 8.72 mm	66,139	1.79E-06	2,933.37	0.96
0.1 gm / 4.05 mm	6,614	1.79E-07	293.34	0.10
0.01 gm / 1.88 mm	661	1.79E-08	29.33	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.87 mm	66	1.79E-09	2.93	0.00

Weight of pure Andersonite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 2.88 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

Andersonite Classification

Dana Class:

15.02.05.01 (15)Hydrated Carbonates

(15.02)where A+m B++n (XO3)p ï¿½ x(H2O), (m+n):p > 1:1

(15.02.05)Dana Group

15.02.05.01 Andersonite Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3•6(H2O) R 3 3

Strunz Class:

05.ED.30 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.E - Uranyl Carbonates

05.ED -UO2:CO3 = 1:3

05.ED.30 Andersonite Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3•6(H2O) R 3 3

Other Andersonite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Andersonite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - Uranium Minerals
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Andersonite

Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3•6(H2O)
Dana No: 15.02.05.01 Strunz No: 05.ED.30
Locality:

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