Asselbornite

 IMA-A 1980-087
Uranium 42.4.11.1
(Dana Classification Number)
(No Images) 7/E.10-10
(Strunz ID)

Property Data Remarks
Named for: Eric Asselborn (1954-), mineral collector and surgeon, Montrevel-en-Bresse, France
Alternate
    Name(s):
 
Mineral Class:
Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
  Uranylphosphates and uranylvanadates with
[UO2]2+ - [PO4 | AsO4]3- and [UO2]2+ - [V2O8]6-
    Asselbornite - Walpurgite series
 
Chemical
    Formula:		 (Pb,Ba)(UO2)6(BiO)4(AsO4)2(OH)12 · 3H2O  
Chemical
    Composition:
Arsenic: (As) 4.64%
Barium: (Ba) 2.13%
Bismuth: (Bi) 25.89%
Hydrogen: (H) 0.56%
Lead: (Pb) 3.21%
Oxygen: (O) 19.33%
Uranium: (U) 44.24%
by weight
Molecular
    Weight:		 3,228.32 daltons (amu)
Specific
    Radioactivity:

(All radiation is for a 1 gram, fully aged specimen)

Specific Activity Dose Rate
Becquerels Curies milliRADs
per hour		 microSieverts
7.9188 × 1004 2.14 × 10-06 1.04 10.36

Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 3.6 RAD (3.6 centiSieverts)
Crystalography:
System: Isometric - Hexoctahedral
Cell Dimensions: a: 15.66 Å
Z: 4
V: 3,840.39 Å3
DenCalc: 5.58
H-M Symbol: 4/m -3 2/m
Space Group: Im3m
X-Ray Diffraction:
  By Intensity ( I/Io )		 (1): 4.185 Å
(0.8): 3.196 Å
(0.7): 4.52 Å
Asselbornite
Crystal
Habit:
  • Euhedral Crystals
    		•   
    Cleavage: None  
    Fracture:    
    Moh's
        Hardness:    		 3  
    Density: 5.6 grams/cm3
    Color: Brown, Brown-yellow, Orange, Lemmon yellow  
    Streak: Lemmon yellow  
    Luster: Adamantine - Greasy  
    Diaphaniety: Translucent  
    Pleochroism:
    (x):  
    (y:)  
    (z:)  
    		 
    Ultra Violet
        Fluorescence:
    Long Wave:  
    Short Wave:  
    		 
    Magnetism: Non-magnetic  
    Occurance:
  • In quartz gangue from a mine.
    		•   
    Associated
        Minerals:

    Andradite, Arsenopyrite, Barite, Bismuth, Bismuthinite, Chalcopyrite, Chlorargyrite, Churchite-(Y), Erythrite, Eulytine, Ferberite, Hematite, Marcasite, Metazeunerite, Molybdenite, Muscovite, Novácekite, Pyrrhotite, Russellite, Scheelite, Siderite, Sphalerite, Torbernite, Trögerite, Uranocircite, Uranophane, Uranosphaerite, Uranospinite, Walpurgite, 'Wolframite', Zeunerite

    Asselbornite is very closely associated with Uranophane, and seems to never occur without it.

    Mineral   -   all sites
    Mineral   -   > 65% of sites
    Mineral   -   > 15% of sites
    Minerals   -   Uranium & Thorium
    mineral links

    		These are minerals known to be found with Asselbornite
    Localities:

    Extremely rare

    Asselbornite Localities
    Notes:

    Strongly radioactive a- and b-particles, g-rays.

    Crystals are probably metamic.