Brannerite Mineral Data

General Brannerite Information

Chemical Formula: (U,Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe)2O6 Composition: Molecular Weight = 354.80 gm    Calcium    3.39 %  Ca    4.74 % CaO    Cerium     7.90 %  Ce    9.25 % Ce₂O₃    Uranium   33.54 %  U    38.05 % UO₂    Titanium  20.24 %  Ti   33.77 % TiO₂    Iron       7.87 %  Fe   10.12 % FeO    Oxygen    27.06 %  O             ______        ______              100.00 %       95.94 % = TOTAL OXIDE Empirical Formula: U_0.5Ca_0.3Ce_0.2Ti_1.5Fe²⁺_0.5O₆ Environment: Found in gold placers. IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1920 Locality: Kelly Gulch, Custer County, Idaho. Stanley Basin, Wyoming. USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data. Name Origin: Named after the American geologist, G. Branner (1850-1922). Name Pronunciation: Brannerite + Pronunciation Synonym: ICSD 201342   Orthobrannerite   PDF 12-477  

Brannerite Image

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Brannerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios: a:b:c =2.3421:1:1.8394 Cell Dimensions: a = 8.9, b = 3.8, c = 6.99, Z = 2; beta = 104.75° V = 228.61 Den(Calc)= 5.15 Crystal System: Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.42(1), 1.903(0.8), 2.455(0.7), Crystal Structure:

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Szymanski J T , Scott J D , The Canadian Mineralogist , 20 (1982) p.271-280, A crystal structure refinement of synthetic brannerite UTi2O6 and its bearing, on rate of alkaline-carbonate leaching of brannerite in ore

 

Physical Properties of Brannerite

Cleavage: None Color: Brown, Brown green, Yellow, Yellow brown, Black. Density: 4.5 - 6.35, Average = 5.42 Diaphaneity: Opaque to subtranslucent Fracture: Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern. Habit: Crystalline - Fine - Occurs as well-formed fine sized crystals. Habit: Metamict - Mineral originally crystalline, now amorphous due to radiation damage. Habit: Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline). Hardness: 4-5 - Fluorite-Apatite Luminescence: Highly Radioactive. Luster: Adamantine - Resinous Magnetism: Nonmagnetic Streak: dark greenish brown  

Optical Properties of Brannerite

Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.094 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.153 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2456,KPDmeas= 0.2332,KC= 0.2131
Ncalc = 1.96 - 2.35 Optical Data: Isotropic, n=2.23-2.3. Reflectivity Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Brannerite in Air

λ	R		∑ R(λ)
400 nm	13.90
420 nm	13.50
440 nm	13.10
460 nm	12.80
480 nm	12.70
500 nm	12.50
520 nm	12.30
540 nm	12.20
560 nm	12.10
580 nm	12.00
600 nm	11.90
620 nm	11.80
640 nm	11.70
660 nm	11.70
680 nm	11.60
700 nm	11.50

Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Brannerite in Air

Relative Intensity	0%	80%	100%	160%	240%	320%	400%	480%	560%	640%	720%	730%
R

 

Calculated Properties of Brannerite

Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.82 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Brannerite =5.43 gm/cc.
Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97 Photoelectric: PE_Brannerite = 904.35 barns/electron
U=PE_Brannerite x r_electron=4,358.53 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:

GRapi = 2,547,583.09 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Brannerite per GRapi unit = 392.53 (PPB)

Brannerite 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) 11.94 ± 2.98 grams of pure Brannerite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 1193.9 ±298.49 grams of pure Brannerite .

Estimated Radioactivity from Brannerite - very strong

Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Becquerels (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 7.06 cm	60,220,724	1.63E-03	2,547,583.09	837.56
100 gm / 3.28 cm	6,022,072	1.63E-04	254,758.31	83.76
10 gm / 1.52 cm	602,207	1.63E-05	25,475.83	8.38
1 gm / 7.06 mm	60,221	1.63E-06	2,547.58	0.84
0.1 gm / 3.28 mm	6,022	1.63E-07	254.76	0.08
0.01 gm / 1.52 mm	602	1.63E-08	25.48	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.71 mm	60	1.63E-09	2.55	0.00

Weight of pure Brannerite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.43 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 ( 0.39 % Th) From Sum REE Elements ( 7.90 % REE)

 

Brannerite Classification

Dana Class: 08.03.04.01 (08)Multiple Oxides with Nb, Ta, and Ti   (08.03)where A (B2O6)   (08.03.04)Dana Group  

08.03.04.01 Brannerite (U,Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe)2O6 C 2/m 2/m

 

08.03.04.02 Thorutite (Th,U,Ca)Ti2(O,OH)6 C 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class: 04.DH.05 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate   04.D - Metal:Oxygen = 1:2 and similar   04.DH -With large (± medium-sized) cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra  

04.DH.05 Brannerite (U,Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe)2O6 C 2/m 2/m

 

04.DH.05 Orthobrannerite UUTi4O12(OH)2 P 2₁22 2 2 2

 

04.DH.05 Thorutite (Th,U,Ca)Ti2(O,OH)6 C 2/m 2/m

 

Other Brannerite Information

References: NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic3) See Also: Links to other databases for Brannerite :
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 - MinDAT
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - Online Mineral Museum
12 - QUT Mineral Atlas
13 - Ruff.Info
14 - Uranium Minerals
15 - WWW-MINCRYST
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