Metastudtite Mineral Data

General Metastudtite Information

Chemical Formula:

UO4•2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 338.06 gm

Uranium 70.41 % U 84.61 % UO₃

Hydrogen 1.19 % H 10.66 % H₂O

Oxygen 28.40 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 95.27 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

UO₄•2(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary uranium mineral containing peroxide formed by the alpha-radiolysis of water during formation. May also form in spent-fission fuel elements.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1983

Locality:

Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named as the lower hydration product of studtite.

Name Pronunciation:

Metastudtite + Pronunciation

Metastudtite Image

Images:

Metastudtite

Comments: White acicular microcrystal metastudtite clusters on dark yellow to brown sklodowskite grains.
Location: Musonoi, Katanga, Shaba, Zaire. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Metastudtite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.7414:1:0.4794

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.51, b = 8.78, c = 4.21, Z = 2; V = 240.63 Den(Calc)= 4.67

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: I mmm

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.22(1), 3.54(0.8), 4.38(0.5),

Physical Properties of Metastudtite

Color:

Light yellow.

Density:

4.67

Luster:

Silky

Streak:

light yellow

Optical Properties of Metastudtite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.08 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.08 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1469,KPDmeas= 0.1469,KC= 0.1361
Ncalc = 1.64

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.64, b=1.658, g=1.76, bire=0.1200, 2V(Calc)=48, 2V(Meas)=47.7.

Calculated Properties of Metastudtite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.98 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Metastudtite =4.67 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0052076745
Boson Index = 0.9947923255

Photoelectric:

PE_Metastudtite=1,875.15 barns/electron
U=PE_Metastudtite x r_electron=7,460.28 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 5,113,001.17 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Metastudtite per GRapi unit = 195.58 (PPB)

Metastudtite 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) 5.95 ± 1.49 grams of pure Metastudtite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 594.89 ±148.72 grams of pure Metastudtite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Metastudtite** - 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 / 7.42 cm	126,035,448	3.41E-03	5,113,001.17	1,680.99
100 gm / 3.45 cm	12,603,545	3.41E-04	511,300.12	168.10
10 gm / 1.60 cm	1,260,354	3.41E-05	51,130.01	16.81
1 gm / 7.42 mm	126,035	3.41E-06	5,113.00	1.68
0.1 gm / 3.45 mm	12,604	3.41E-07	511.30	0.17
0.01 gm / 1.60 mm	1,260	3.41E-08	51.13	0.02
0.001 gm / 0.74 mm	126	3.41E-09	5.11	0.00

Weight of pure Metastudtite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 4.67 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

Metastudtite Classification

Dana Class:

05.03.01.02 (05)Oxides Containing Uranium and Thorium

(05.03)with a cation charge of 8+ (AO4) and hydrated

(05.03.01)Studtite Group

05.03.01.01 Studtite [(UO2)O2(H2O)2](H2O)2 C 2/m 2/m

05.03.01.02 Metastudtite UO4•2(H2O) I mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

04.GA.15 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

04.G - Uranyl Hydroxides

04.GA -Without additional cations

04.GA.15 Metastudtite UO4•2(H2O) I mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m

04.GA.15 Studtite [(UO2)O2(H2O)2](H2O)2 C 2/m 2/m

Other Metastudtite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Metastudtite :
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 (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

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Metastudtite

UO4•2(H2O)
Dana No: 05.03.01.02 Strunz No: 04.GA.15
Locality:

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