Leószilárdite
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| Leószilárdite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Carbonate mineral |
| Formula | Na6Mg(UO2)2(CO3)6·6H2O |
| IMA symbol | Lsz[1] |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Crystal class | 2/m - Prismatic |
| Identification | |
| Color | Pale yellow or tan |
| References | [2] |
Leószilárdite is a mineral discovered by Travis Olds of the University of Notre Dame and colleagues in the Markey Mine in Utah, USA.[3] They named the mineral in honor of Leó Szilárd, Hungarian-born physicist and inventor. Leószilárdite is the first naturally occurring sodium- and magnesium-containing uranyl carbonate. It is rare and water-soluble, and was discovered on a seam of carbon-rich material deposited by an ancient stream. Groundwater reacted with the uraninite ore to create leószilárdite and other minerals.[4]