Roubaultite Mineral Data

General Roubaultite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu2(UO2)3(CO3)2O2(OH)2•4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,195.27 gm

Uranium 59.74 % U 67.77 % UO₂

Copper 10.63 % Cu 13.31 % CuO

Hydrogen 0.84 % H 7.54 % H₂O

Carbon 2.01 % C 7.36 % CO₂

Oxygen 26.77 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 95.98 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu₂(UO₂)₃(CO₃)₂O₂(OH)₂•4(H₂O)

Environment:

On pitchblende ore.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1970

Locality:

Shinkolobwe, Shaba, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Marcel Roubault (1905-), geologist, University of Nancy, France.

Name Pronunciation:

Roubaultite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 60064

PDF 25-318

Roubaultite Image

Images:

Roubaultite

Comments: Lime green, granular roubaultite associated with pale yellow acicular uranophane.
Location: KOV mine, Kamoto, Shaba, Democratic Republic of Congo. Scale: See Image.
© Rruff Database

Roubaultite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.1188:1:1.1307

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.767, b = 6.942, c = 7.85, Z = 1; alpha = 92.16°, beta = 90.89°, gamma = 93.48° V = 422.13 Den(Calc)= 4.70

Crystal System:

Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.55(1), 7.74(0.9), 6.88(0.8),

Physical Properties of Roubaultite

Cleavage:

{100} Perfect, {010} Distinct

Color:

Grass green, Apple green.

Density:

5.02

Habit:

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

Habit:

Rosette - Bundled tabular aggregates resembling rose flower petals.

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Streak:

green

Optical Properties of Roubaultite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.176 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.256 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1652,KPDmeas= 0.1547,KC= 0.1316
Ncalc = 1.62 - 1.66

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.7, b=1.8, g=1.82-1.84, bire=0.1200-0.1400, 2V(Calc)=46-60, 2V(Meas)=55.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

colorless.

Pleochroism (z):

yellow green.

Calculated Properties of Roubaultite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.33 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Roubaultite =5.02 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0046523223
Boson Index = 0.9953476777

Photoelectric:

PE_Roubaultite=1,575.08 barns/electron
U=PE_Roubaultite x r_electron=6,826.85 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,396,769.70 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Roubaultite per GRapi unit = 227.44 (PPB)

Roubaultite 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) 6.92 ± 1.73 grams of pure Roubaultite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 691.80 ±172.95 grams of pure Roubaultite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Roubaultite** - 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 / 7.25 cm	106,939,622	2.89E-03	4,396,769.70	1,445.51
100 gm / 3.36 cm	10,693,962	2.89E-04	439,676.97	144.55
10 gm / 1.56 cm	1,069,396	2.89E-05	43,967.70	14.46
1 gm / 7.25 mm	106,940	2.89E-06	4,396.77	1.45
0.1 gm / 3.36 mm	10,694	2.89E-07	439.68	0.14
0.01 gm / 1.56 mm	1,069	2.89E-08	43.97	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.72 mm	107	2.89E-09	4.40	0.00

Weight of pure Roubaultite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.02 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

Roubaultite Classification

Dana Class:

16b.07.13.01 (16b)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen

(16b.07)Dana Type

(16b.07.13)Dana Group

16b.07.13.01 Roubaultite Cu2(UO2)3(CO3)2O2(OH)2•4(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

05.EA.25 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.E - Uranyl Carbonates

05.EA -UO2:CO3 > 1:1

05.EA.25 Roubaultite Cu2(UO2)3(CO3)2O2(OH)2•4(H2O) P1 1

Other Roubaultite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Roubaultite :
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
16 - WWW-MINCRYST

Search for Roubaultite using:

[AOL] [Bing] [Dog Pile] [GeoScienceWorld] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [Lycos] [MAMMA] [Scirus] [Teoma] [WebCrawler] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Roubaultite :

Ask about Roubaultite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

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

Roubaultite

Cu2(UO2)3(CO3)2O2(OH)2•4(H2O)
Dana No: 16b.07.13.01 Strunz No: 05.EA.25
Locality:

Notes:

Dakota Matrix
Excalibur Minerals
Exceptional Minerals
Hudson Insitute
John Betts Fine Minerals
Mc Dougall Minerals
Mineral News
Rock and Mineral Shows
Weinrich Minerals, Inc.