Associated with epsomite and "hair salts" in soil sheltered by an overhanging bluff. The sulfate is from the oxidation of pyritiferous shales in the bedrock. The cerium dominant ana log of levinsonite-(Y).
IMA Status:
Approved IMA 1996 (Dana # Added)
Locality:
Alum Cave Bluff, Great Smoky Mountains Park, Tennessee, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named for the Cherokee Indian term for the Great Smoky Mountains.
Synonym:
IMA1996-055
Zugshunstite-(Ce) Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =0.476:1:0.7168
Cell Dimensions:
a = 8.718, b = 18.313, c = 13.128, Z = 4; beta = 93.9° V = 2,091.07 Den(Calc)= 2.12
Brittle - Irregular - Very brittle fracture producing irregular fragments
Habit:
Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.
Habit:
Water Soluble - Water soluble mineral.
Habit:
Wedge shaped - Crystals shaped like a wedge.
Luminescence:
Fluorescent, Short UV=very pale blue, Long UV=very pale blue.
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Streak:
white
Optical Properties of Zugshunstite-(Ce)
Gladstone-Dale:
CI calc= -0.122 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC) KPDcalc= 0.2308,KC= 0.2057 Ncalc = 1.44
Optical Data:
Biaxial (+), a=1.455, b=1.485, g=1.528, bire=0.0730, 2V(Calc)=82, 2V(Meas)=85. Dispersion medium, r > v.
Calculated Properties of Zugshunstite-(Ce)
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.11 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Zugshunstite-(Ce) =2.12 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.01 Boson Index = 0.99
Photoelectric:
PEZugshunstite-(Ce) = 103.22 barns/electron U=PEZugshunstite-(Ce) x relectron= 218.27 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 22,523.37 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Zugshunstite-(Ce) per GRapi unit = 44.40 (PPM)
Zugshunstite-(Ce) is Radioactive as defined in 49 CFR 173.403. Greater than 70 Bq / gram.
Estimated Radioactivity from Zugshunstite-(Ce) - weak
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 / 9.66 cm
474,205
1.28E-05
22,523.37
7.40
100 gm / 4.48 cm
47,421
1.28E-06
2,252.34
0.74
10 gm / 2.08 cm
4,742
1.28E-07
225.23
0.07
1 gm / 9.66 mm
474
1.28E-08
22.52
0.01
0.1 gm / 4.48 mm
47
1.28E-09
2.25
0.00
0.01 gm / 2.08 mm
5
1.28E-10
0.23
0.00
0.001 gm / 0.97 mm
0
1.28E-11
0.02
0.00
Weight of pure Zugshunstite-(Ce) in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 2.12 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
Estimated Thorium Activity ( 1.06 % Th) From Sum REE Elements (21.17 % REE)