Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.
Habit:
Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).
Habit:
Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).
Habit:
Scaly - Morphology like fish scales.
Hardness:
1.5-2 - Talc-Gypsum
Luminescence:
Fluorescent, Short UV=weak yellow-green, Long UV=weak yellow-green.
Luster:
Adamantine - Pearly
Magnetism:
Nonmagnetic
Streak:
light yellow
Optical Properties of Tyuyamunite
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas= -0.245 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC) CI calc= -0.371 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2455,KPDmeas= 0.2229,KC= 0.179 Ncalc = 1.59 - 1.77
Optical Data:
Biaxial (-), a=1.72, b=1.868, g=1.953, bire=0.2330, 2V(Calc)=68, 2V(Meas)=48. Dispersion r < v weak.
Pleochroism (x):
colorless.
Pleochroism (y):
pale canary yellow.
Pleochroism (z):
canary yellow.
Calculated Properties of Tyuyamunite
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.36 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Tyuyamunite =3.80 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.004222268 Boson Index = 0.995777732
Photoelectric:
PETyuyamunite =1,333.06 barns/electron U=PETyuyamunite x relectron=4,480.22 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 3,909,006.33 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Tyuyamunite per GRapi unit = 255.82 (PPB)
Tyuyamunite is Radioactive as defined in 49 CFR 173.403. Greater than 70 Bq / gram.
Estimated Radioactivity from Tyuyamunite - 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 / 7.95 cm
92,815,643
2.51E-03
3,909,006.33
1,285.15
100 gm / 3.69 cm
9,281,564
2.51E-04
390,900.63
128.52
10 gm / 1.71 cm
928,156
2.51E-05
39,090.06
12.85
1 gm / 7.95 mm
92,816
2.51E-06
3,909.01
1.29
0.1 gm / 3.69 mm
9,282
2.51E-07
390.90
0.13
0.01 gm / 1.71 mm
928
2.51E-08
39.09
0.01
0.001 gm / 0.80 mm
93
2.51E-09
3.91
0.00
Weight of pure Tyuyamunite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 3.80 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
Chemical Formula: 
- very strong