Caldasite
Uraniferous ore of zirconium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caldasite (Portuguese: Caldasito, German: Zirkonglaskopf, Spanish: Caldasita)[1] is a rare uraniferous ore of zirconium found in the Poços de Caldas massif, located in the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo, Brazil.
PrimaryZircon (ZrSiO4), Baddeleyite (ZrO2)
SecondaryUranium (as triuranium octoxide [U2O3])
| Composition | |
|---|---|
| Primary | Zircon (ZrSiO4), Baddeleyite (ZrO2) |
| Secondary | Uranium (as triuranium octoxide [U2O3]) |
It is most often found as a dark gray, very dense, hard rock. It also appears as a friable brown substance.[2]
The massif is an alkaline complex, formed by a large intrusion during the mid-Cretaceous. The ore is a result of hydrothermal alteration of the nepheline-syenitic rocks; it has also been weathered out and concentrated in paleoplacer deposits.