Fergusonite-(Ce) Mineral Data

General Fergusonite-(Ce) Information

Chemical Formula:

(Ce,La,Y)NbO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 296.94 gm

Lanthanum 14.03 % La 16.46 % La₂O₃

Cerium 28.31 % Ce 33.16 % Ce₂O₃

Yttrium 2.99 % Y 3.80 % Y₂O₃

Niobium 31.29 % Nb 44.76 % Nb₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.20 % H 1.82 % H₂O

Oxygen 23.17 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ce_0.6La_0.3Y_0.1NbO₄•0.3(H₂O)

Environment:

In a carbonatite.

IMA Status:

Not Approved IMA 1986

Locality:

Novopoltavsk massif [Cherigovsky massif, Azov Sea area], Ukraine. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

For the relationship to fergusonite-(Y) and the cerium content.

Name Pronunciation:

Fergusonite-(Ce) + Pronunciation

Fergusonite-(Ce) Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.02514

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.17, c = 5.3, Z = 2; V = 141.66 Den(Calc)= 6.96

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (4/m) Space Group: I 4₁/a

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.1(1), 1.882(0.9), 1.631(0.5),1.566(0.4), 2.6(0.3), 3.5(0.2), 2.76(0.2),

Physical Properties of Fergusonite-(Ce)

Cleavage:

{???} Indistinct

Color:

Dark red, Black.

Density:

5.48

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to Opaque

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Irregular Grains - Occurs as splotchy, anhedral crystals forming inclusions in other minerals or rocks.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

5.5-6.5 - Knife Blade-Pyrite

Luster:

Vitreous - Metallic

Streak:

reddish brown

Optical Properties of Fergusonite-(Ce)

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.114 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.123 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1796,KPDmeas= 0.2281,KC= 0.2047
Ncalc = 2.12 - 2.42

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=2.2, w=2.3, bire=0.1000.

Calculated Properties of Fergusonite-(Ce)

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.86 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Fergusonite-(Ce) =5.48 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0002378191
Boson Index = 0.9997621809

Photoelectric:

PE_{Fergusonite-(Ce)}= 268.98 barns/electron
U=PE_{Fergusonite-(Ce)} x r_electron=1,308.53 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 40,097.09 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Fergusonite-(Ce) per GRapi unit = 24.94 (PPM)

Fergusonite-(Ce) 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) 758.58 ±189.64 grams of pure Fergusonite-(Ce) .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Fergusonite-(Ce)** - weak
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 / 7.04 cm	948,539	2.56E-05	40,097.09	13.18
100 gm / 3.27 cm	94,854	2.56E-06	4,009.71	1.32
10 gm / 1.52 cm	9,485	2.56E-07	400.97	0.13
1 gm / 7.04 mm	949	2.56E-08	40.10	0.01
0.1 gm / 3.27 mm	95	2.56E-09	4.01	0.00
0.01 gm / 1.52 mm	9	2.56E-10	0.40	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.70 mm	1	2.56E-11	0.04	0.00

Weight of pure Fergusonite-(Ce) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.48 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
Estimated Thorium Activity ( 2.12 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (42.35 % REE)

Fergusonite-(Ce) Classification

Dana Class:

08.01.01.03 (08)Multiple Oxides with Nb, Ta, and Ti

(08.01)where A BO4

(08.01.01)Fergusonite Group (Tetragonal)

08.01.01.01 Fergusonite-(Y) YNbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

08.01.01.02 Formanite-(Y) YTaO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

08.01.01.03 Fergusonite-(Ce)* (Ce,La,Y)NbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

08.01.01.04 Fergusonite-(Nd)* (Nd,Ce)(Nb,Ti)O4 I 4₁/a 4/m

Strunz Class:

07.GA.05 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.G - Molybdates, Wolframates and Niobates

07.GA -Without additional anions or H2O

07.GA.05 Fergusonite-(Ce)* (Ce,La,Y)NbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Fergusonite-(Nd)* (Nd,Ce)(Nb,Ti)O4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Fergusonite-(Y) YNbO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Stolzite PbWO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Scheelite CaWO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Powellite CaMoO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

07.GA.05 Wulfenite PbMoO4 I 4₁/a 4/m

Other Fergusonite-(Ce) Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic3) PHYS. PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.74,p946,1989) OPTIC PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.74,p946,1989)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Fergusonite-(Ce) :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
9 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Fergusonite-(Ce) Specimen Label here :

Fergusonite-(Ce)

(Ce,La,Y)NbO4
Dana No: 08.01.01.03 Strunz No: 07.GA.05
Locality:

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