Meisserite
Very rare uranium mineral
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Meisserite is a very rare uranium mineral with the formula Na5(UO2)(SO4)3(SO3OH)(H2O).[2][3] It is interesting in being a natural uranyl salt with hydrosulfate (hydroxysulfate) anion, a feature shared with belakovskiite.[3] Other chemically related minerals include fermiite, oppenheimerite, natrozippeite and plášilite.[5][6][7][8] Most of these uranyl sulfate minerals was originally found in the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA.[9] The mineral is named after Swiss mineralogist Nicolas Meisser.[4]
| Meisserite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | Sulfate mineral |
| Formula | Na5(UO2)(SO4)3(SO3OH)(H2O) |
| IMA symbol | Mss[1] |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
| Crystal class | Pinacoidal (1) (same H-M symbol) |
| Space group | P1 |
| Unit cell | a = 5.32, b = 11.51, c = 13.56 [Å], α = 102.96°, β = 97.41°, γ = 91.46° (approximated); Z = 2 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Pale green to yellowish-green |
| Crystal habit | prismatic |
| Cleavage | {100} and {001}, fair |
| Tenacity | Very brittle |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2 |
| Luster | Vitreous |
| Streak | Very pale yellow |
| Diaphaneity | Translucent to transparent |
| Density | 3.21 (calculated) (approximated) |
| Optical properties | Biaxal (-) |
| Refractive index | nα=1.51, nβ=1.55, nγ=1.56 (approximated) |
| Pleochroism | Colorless (X), pale yellow (Y), pale greenish-yellow (Z) |
| 2V angle | 60o |
| Dispersion | Weak |
| Other characteristics |  Radioactive |
| References | [2][3][4] |
Association and origin
Meisserite is associated with other sulfate minerals: belakovskiite, johannite, chalcanthite, copiapite, ferrinatrite, and gypsum.[2] It is resulting from post-mining oxidation of the primary uranium mineral - uraninite.[4]