Moreauite Mineral Data

General Moreauite Information

Chemical Formula:

Al3(UO2)(PO4)3(OH)2•13(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 904.10 gm

Uranium 26.33 % U 29.87 % UO₂

Aluminum 8.95 % Al 16.92 % Al₂O₃

Phosphorus 10.28 % P 23.55 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 3.12 % H 27.90 % H₂O

Oxygen 51.32 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 98.23 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Al₃(UO₂)(PO₄)₃(OH)₂•13(H₂O)

Environment:

Rare secondary mineral in the oxidized uraniferous zone of a complex granite pegmatite.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1985

Locality:

Kobokobo pegmatite, Lusungu River district, Kivu Province, Congo (Zaire). Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Jules Moreau (1931- ), Belgian mineralogist, Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain, Belgium.

Name Pronunciation:

Moreauite + Pronunciation

Moreauite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0918:1:0.8554

Cell Dimensions:

a = 23.41, b = 21.44, c = 18.34, Z = 16; beta = 92° V = 9,199.43 Den(Calc)= 2.61

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): 10.8(1), 11.69(0.8), 2.931(0.7),

Physical Properties of Moreauite

Cleavage:

{100} Good

Color:

Greenish yellow, Light yellow.

Density:

2.64

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Streak:

light yellow

Optical Properties of Moreauite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.027 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.039 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2107,KPDmeas= 0.2083,KC= 0.2028
Ncalc = 1.53 - 1.54

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.54, b=1.552, g=1.558, bire=0.0180, 2V(Calc)=70, 2V(Meas)=70.

Calculated Properties of Moreauite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.55 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Moreauite =2.64 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0021466139
Boson Index = 0.9978533861

Photoelectric:

PE_Moreauite= 620.17 barns/electron
U=PE_Moreauite x r_electron=1,579.13 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 2,164,448.42 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Moreauite per GRapi unit = 462.01 (PPB)

Moreauite 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) 14.05 ± 3.51 grams of pure Moreauite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 1405.3 ±351.32 grams of pure Moreauite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Moreauite** - 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 / 8.98 cm	47,126,630	1.27E-03	2,164,448.42	711.60
100 gm / 4.17 cm	4,712,663	1.27E-04	216,444.84	71.16
10 gm / 1.93 cm	471,266	1.27E-05	21,644.48	7.12
1 gm / 8.98 mm	47,127	1.27E-06	2,164.45	0.71
0.1 gm / 4.17 mm	4,713	1.27E-07	216.44	0.07
0.01 gm / 1.93 mm	471	1.27E-08	21.64	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.90 mm	47	1.27E-09	2.16	0.00

Weight of pure Moreauite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 2.64 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

Moreauite Classification

Dana Class:

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

(42.12)with miscellaneous formulae

(42.12.03)Dana Group

42.12.03.01 Moreauite Al3(UO2)(PO4)3(OH)2•13(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

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

08.E - Uranyl Phosphates and Arsenates

08.ED -Unclassified

08.ED.05 Moreauite Al3(UO2)(PO4)3(OH)2•13(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Other Moreauite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Moreauite :
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
15 - Uranium Minerals

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

Moreauite

Al3(UO2)(PO4)3(OH)2•13(H2O)
Dana No: 42.12.03.01 Strunz No: 08.ED.05
Locality:

Notes:

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