Francoisite-(Nd) Mineral Data

General Francoisite-(Nd) Information

Chemical Formula:

(Nd,Y,Sm,Ce)(UO2)3(PO4)2O(OH)•6(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,243.40 gm

Cerium 0.45 % Ce 0.53 % Ce₂O₃

Samarium 0.73 % Sm 0.84 % Sm₂O₃

Yttrium 0.72 % Y 0.91 % Y₂O₃

Uranium 61.26 % U 69.49 % UO₂

Phosphorus 4.73 % P 10.85 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 1.10 % H 9.85 % H₂O

Neodymium 2.32 % Nd 2.71 % Nd₂O₃

Oxygen 28.69 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 95.17 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Nd_0.2Y_0.1Sm_0.06Ce_0.04(UO₂)_3.2O(PO₄)_1.9(OH)•6.3(H₂O)

Environment:

Alteration product of uraninite in a sedimentary Cu-Co deposit.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1988

Locality:

Kamoto-East Cu-Co mine, 6 km east of Kolwezi, Katanga Province, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Armand Francois (1922-), former Director of Geology for Gecamine and the dominant neodymium content.

Name Pronunciation:

Francoisite-(Nd) + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 202796

PDF 42-1314

Francoisite-(Nd) Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5958:1:0.8758

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.298, b = 15.605, c = 13.668, Z = 4; beta = 112.77° V = 1,828.61 Den(Calc)= 4.52

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 7.79(1), 3.88(0.5), 5.76(0.5),

Physical Properties of Francoisite-(Nd)

Cleavage:

{010} Good

Color:

Yellow.

Density:

4.06

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luminescence:

Radioactive.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

yellow white

Optical Properties of Francoisite-(Nd)

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.352 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.215 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1578,KPDmeas= 0.1757,KC= 0.1299
Ncalc = 1.53 - 1.59

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.65, b=1.74, g=1.75, bire=0.1000, 2V(Calc)=34, 2V(Meas)=35.

Calculated Properties of Francoisite-(Nd)

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.90 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Francoisite-(Nd) =4.52 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_{Francoisite-(Nd)}=1,632.17 barns/electron
U=PE_{Francoisite-(Nd)} x r_electron=6,370.39 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,512,101.50 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Francoisite-(Nd) per GRapi unit = 221.63 (PPB)

Francoisite-(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) 6.74 ± 1.69 grams of pure Francoisite-(Nd) .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 674.11 ±168.53 grams of pure Francoisite-(Nd) .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Francoisite-(Nd)** - 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 / 7.50 cm	109,732,395	2.97E-03	4,512,101.50	1,483.43
100 gm / 3.48 cm	10,973,240	2.97E-04	451,210.15	148.34
10 gm / 1.62 cm	1,097,324	2.97E-05	45,121.02	14.83
1 gm / 7.50 mm	109,732	2.97E-06	4,512.10	1.48
0.1 gm / 3.48 mm	10,973	2.97E-07	451.21	0.15
0.01 gm / 1.62 mm	1,097	2.97E-08	45.12	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.75 mm	110	2.97E-09	4.51	0.00

Weight of pure Francoisite-(Nd) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 4.52 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 ( 0.17 % Th) From Sum REE Elements ( 3.50 % REE)

Francoisite-(Nd) Classification

Dana Class:

42.04.14.01 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(42.04)where (AB)5 (XO4)2 Zq ï¿½ x(H2O)

(42.04.14)Francoisite Group

42.04.14.01 Francoisite-(Nd) (Nd,Y,Sm,Ce)(UO2)3(PO4)2O(OH)•6(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

42.04.14.02 Francoisite-(Ce)! (Ce,Nd,Ca)[(UO2)3O(OH)(PO4)2]•6(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

08.EC.05 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.E - Uranyl Phosphates and Arsenates

08.EC -UO2:RO4 = 3:2

08.EC.05 Francoisite-(Nd) (Nd,Y,Sm,Ce)(UO2)3(PO4)2O(OH)•6(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

08.EC.05 Phuralumite Al2(UO2)3(PO4)2(OH)6•10(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

08.EC.05 Upalite Al(UO2)3(PO4)2O(OH)•7(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

08.EC.05 Francoisite-(Ce)! (Ce,Nd,Ca)[(UO2)3O(OH)(PO4)2]•6(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Other Francoisite-(Nd) Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.75,p241,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.75,p241,1990)

See Also:

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

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Francoisite-(Nd)

(Nd,Y,Sm,Ce)(UO2)3(PO4)2O(OH)•6(H2O)
Dana No: 42.04.14.01 Strunz No: 08.EC.05
Locality:

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