Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) Mineral Data

General Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) Information

Chemical Formula:

(Nd,Ce)NbO4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 285.36 gm

Cerium 14.73 % Ce 17.25 % Ce₂O₃

Praeseodymium 4.94 % Pr 5.78 % Pr₂O₃

Samarium 5.27 % Sm 6.11 % Sm₂O₃

Yttrium 3.12 % Y 3.96 % Y₂O₃

Niobium 29.30 % Nb 41.92 % Nb₂O₅

Neodymium 20.22 % Nd 23.58 % Nd₂O₃

Oxygen 22.43 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 98.60 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Nd_0.4Ce_0.3Pr_0.1Sm_0.1Y_0.1Nb_0.9O₄

Environment:

In sodium-metasomatized carbonatite-derived dolomitic marble.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1984

Locality:

Bayan Obo Fe-Nb-REE deposit, 130 km north of Baotou, Inner Mongolia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the dimorphous relationship to fergusonite-(Nd).

Name Pronunciation:

Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) + Pronunciation

Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9021:1:0.9626

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.07, b = 5.62, c = 5.41, Z = 2; beta = 93° V = 153.94 Den(Calc)= 6.16

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Sphenoidal H-M Symbol (2) Space Group: I2

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.0253(1), 3.2064(1), 2.7976(0.5),

Physical Properties of Fergusonite-beta-(Nd)

Color:

Brownish red, Red, Yellow brown, Orange.

Density:

6.45

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Subconchoidal - Brittle frature with subconchoidal fragments

Habit:

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

Habit:

Metamict - Mineral originally crystalline, now amorphous due to radiation damage.

Habit:

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

Hardness:

5.5-6.5 - Knife Blade-Pyrite

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Streak:

pale brown

Optical Properties of Fergusonite-beta-(Nd)

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.194 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.156 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1623,KPDmeas= 0.155,KC= 0.1923
Ncalc = 2.18 - 2.24

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=2.

Calculated Properties of Fergusonite-beta-(Nd)

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.45 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) =6.16 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.05
Boson Index = 0.95

Photoelectric:

PE_{Fergusonite-beta-(Nd)}= 309.97 barns/electron
U=PE_{Fergusonite-beta-(Nd)} x r_electron=1,690.22 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 42,918.54 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) per GRapi unit = 23.30 (PPM)

Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) 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) 708.71 ±177.18 grams of pure Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Fergusonite-beta-(Nd)** - 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 / 6.77 cm	1,018,183	2.75E-05	42,918.54	14.11
100 gm / 3.14 cm	101,818	2.75E-06	4,291.85	1.41
10 gm / 1.46 cm	10,182	2.75E-07	429.19	0.14
1 gm / 6.77 mm	1,018	2.75E-08	42.92	0.01
0.1 gm / 3.14 mm	102	2.75E-09	4.29	0.00
0.01 gm / 1.46 mm	10	2.75E-10	0.43	0.00
0.001 gm / 0.68 mm	1	2.75E-11	0.04	0.00

Weight of pure Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 6.16 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 ( 2.26 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (45.16 % REE)

Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) Classification

Dana Class:

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

(08.01)where A BO4

(08.01.02)Fergusonite-beta Grup (Monoclinic)

08.01.02.01 Fergusonite-beta-(Y) YNbO4 I2 2

08.01.02.02 Fergusonite-beta-(Ce) (Ce,La,Nd)NbO4 I2 2

08.01.02.03 Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) (Nd,Ce)NbO4 I2 2

Strunz Class:

04.DG.10 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

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

04.DG -With large (ï¿½ medium-sized) cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra

04.DG.10 Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) (Nd,Ce)NbO4 I2 2

04.DG.10 Fergusonite-beta-(Y) YNbO4 I2 2

04.DG.10 Fergusonite-beta-(Ce) (Ce,La,Nd)NbO4 I2 2

04.DG.10 Yttrotantalite-(Y) (Y,U,Fe)(Ta,Nb)O4 I2/a 2/m

Other Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Fergusonite-beta-(Nd) :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - GeoScienceWorld
4 - Google Images
5 - Google Scholar
6 - MinDAT
7 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
8 - Online Mineral Museum
9 - QUT Mineral Atlas
10 - Ruff.Info

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

Fergusonite-beta-(Nd)

(Nd,Ce)NbO4
Dana No: 08.01.02.03 Strunz No: 04.DG.10
Locality:

Notes:

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