Moreauite Mineral Data

General Moreauite Information

Chemical Formula: Al3(UO2)(PO4)3(OH)2•13(H2O) Composition: Molecular Weight = 904.10 gm    Uranium     26.33 %  U    29.87 % UO₂    Aluminum     8.95 %  Al   16.92 % Al₂O₃    Phosphorus  10.28 %  P    23.55 % P₂O₅    Hydrogen     3.12 %  H    27.90 % H₂O    Oxygen      51.32 %  O               ______        ______                100.00 %       98.23 % = TOTAL OXIDE Empirical Formula: Al₃(UO₂)(PO₄)₃(OH)₂•13(H₂O) Environment: Rare secondary mineral in the oxidized uraniferous zone of a complex granite pegmatite. IMA Status: Approved IMA 1985 Locality: Kobokobo pegmatite, Lusungu River district, Kivu Province, Congo (Zaire). Link to MinDat.org Location Data. Name Origin: Named for Jules Moreau (1931- ), Belgian mineralogist, Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain, Belgium. Name Pronunciation: Moreauite + Pronunciation  

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Moreauite Crystallography

Axial Ratios: a:b:c =1.0918:1:0.8554 Cell Dimensions: a = 23.41, b = 21.44, c = 18.34, Z = 16; beta = 92° V = 9,199.43 Den(Calc)= 2.61 Crystal System: Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/c X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/I_o): 10.8(1), 11.69(0.8), 2.931(0.7),  

Physical Properties of Moreauite

Cleavage: {100} Good Color: Greenish yellow, Light yellow. Density: 2.64 Hardness: 2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite Streak: light yellow  

Optical Properties of Moreauite

Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.027 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.039 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2107,KPDmeas= 0.2083,KC= 0.2028
Ncalc = 1.53 - 1.54 Optical Data: Biaxial (-), a=1.54, b=1.552, g=1.558, bire=0.0180, 2V(Calc)=70, 2V(Meas)=70.  

Calculated Properties of Moreauite

Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.55 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Moreauite =2.64 gm/cc.
Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0021466139
Boson Index = 0.9978533861 Photoelectric: PE_Moreauite = 620.17 barns/electron
U=PE_Moreauite x r_electron=1,579.13 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:

GRapi = 2,164,448.42 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Moreauite per GRapi unit = 462.01 (PPB)

Moreauite 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) 14.05 ± 3.51 grams of pure Moreauite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 1405.3 ±351.32 grams of pure Moreauite .

Estimated Radioactivity from Moreauite - 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 / 8.98 cm	47,126,630	1.27E-03	2,164,448.42	711.60
100 gm / 4.17 cm	4,712,663	1.27E-04	216,444.84	71.16
10 gm / 1.93 cm	471,266	1.27E-05	21,644.48	7.12
1 gm / 8.98 mm	47,127	1.27E-06	2,164.45	0.71
0.1 gm / 4.17 mm	4,713	1.27E-07	216.44	0.07
0.01 gm / 1.93 mm	471	1.27E-08	21.64	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.90 mm	47	1.27E-09	2.16	0.00

Weight of pure Moreauite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 2.64 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

 

Moreauite Classification

Dana Class: 42.12.03.01 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen   (42.12)with miscellaneous formulae   (42.12.03)Dana Group  

42.12.03.01 Moreauite Al3(UO2)(PO4)3(OH)2•13(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class: 08.ED.05 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES   08.E - Uranyl Phosphates and Arsenates   08.ED -Unclassified  

08.ED.05 Moreauite Al3(UO2)(PO4)3(OH)2•13(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

 

Other Moreauite Information

References: NAME( AntBidBlaNic4) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) See Also: Links to other databases for Moreauite :
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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