Wyartite Mineral Data

General Wyartite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca3U++++(UO2)6(CO3)2(OH)18•3-5(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,458.63 gm

Calcium 4.89 % Ca 6.84 % CaO

Uranium 67.77 % U 76.88 % UO₂

Hydrogen 0.98 % H 8.79 % H₂O

Carbon 0.98 % C 3.58 % CO₂

Oxygen 25.38 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.10 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca₃U(UO₂)₆(CO₃)₂(OH)₁₈•3(H₂O)

Environment:

Alteration product of red rims around uraninite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1958

Locality:

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

Name Origin:

Named for Jean Wyart (1902-1992), mineralogist at the Sorbonne, Paris.

Name Pronunciation:

Wyartite

Wyartite Image

Images:

Wyartite Rutherfordine

Comments: Brown, acicular wyartite crystals next to bright yellow rutherfordine tufts.
Location: Shinokolbwe mine, Tantara, Shaba, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Wyartite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.5889:1:2.9632

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.25, b = 7.08, c = 20.98, Z = 2; V = 1,671.06 Den(Calc)= 4.89

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - Disphenoidal H-M Symbol (2 2 2) Space Group: P 2₁2₁2₁

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 8.46(1), 3.47(0.2), 4.22(0.18),

Physical Properties of Wyartite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect, {010} Perfect

Color:

Greenish black, Black, Black violet.

Density:

4.69

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to Opaque

Habit:

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

Hardness:

3-4 - Calcite-Fluorite

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Streak:

brownish violet

Optical Properties of Wyartite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.491 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.43 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.184,KPDmeas= 0.1919,KC= 0.1287
Ncalc = 1.6 - 1.63

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.89, g=1.91, bire=0.0200, 2V(Meas)=48.

Pleochroism (x):

gray.

Pleochroism (y):

violet.

Pleochroism (z):

lavender blue.

Calculated Properties of Wyartite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.18 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Wyartite =4.89 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.005176206
Boson Index = 0.994823794

Photoelectric:

PE_Wyartite=1,797.40 barns/electron
U=PE_Wyartite x r_electron=7,521.55 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,943,362.43 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Wyartite per GRapi unit = 202.29 (PPB)

Wyartite 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) 6.15 ± 1.54 grams of pure Wyartite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 615.30 ±153.83 grams of pure Wyartite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Wyartite** - 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 / 7.31 cm	121,307,705	3.28E-03	4,943,362.43	1,625.22
100 gm / 3.39 cm	12,130,771	3.28E-04	494,336.24	162.52
10 gm / 1.57 cm	1,213,077	3.28E-05	49,433.62	16.25
1 gm / 7.31 mm	121,308	3.28E-06	4,943.36	1.63
0.1 gm / 3.39 mm	12,131	3.28E-07	494.34	0.16
0.01 gm / 1.57 mm	1,213	3.28E-08	49.43	0.02
0.001 gm / 0.73 mm	121	3.28E-09	4.94	0.00

Weight of pure Wyartite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 4.89 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

Wyartite Classification

Dana Class:

16b.07.04.01 (16b)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen

(16b.07)Dana Type

(16b.07.04)Dana Group

16b.07.04.01 Wyartite Ca3U(UO2)6(CO3)2(OH)18•3-5(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

Strunz Class:

05.EA.15 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.E - Uranyl Carbonates

05.EA -UO2:CO3 > 1:1

05.EA.15 Wyartite Ca3U(UO2)6(CO3)2(OH)18•3-5(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

Other Wyartite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Wyartite :
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 Wyartite Specimen Label here :

Wyartite

Ca3U++++(UO2)6(CO3)2(OH)18•3-5(H2O)
Dana No: 16b.07.04.01 Strunz No: 05.EA.15
Locality:

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