Blatonite

 IMA-A 1997-025
Uranium 15.1.8.2
(Dana Classification Number)
(Images) 5/F.01-15
(Strunz ID)

Property Data Remarks
Named for: Dr. Norbert Blaton (1945- ), crystallographer at the University of Leuven, Belgium (a specialist on the crystal structure of uranium minerals)
Alternate
    Name(s):
  • Blatonit
  • Blatonita
    		•   
    Mineral Class:
    Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates
      Uranylcarbonates ([UO2]2+ - [CO3]2-)
        Rutherfordine - Joliotite series
    		 
    Chemical
        Formula:    		 UO2CO3 · H2O  
    Chemical
        Composition:
    Carbon: (C) 3.45%
    Hydrogen: (H) 0.58%
    Oxygen: (O) 27.58%
    Uranium: (U) 68.39%
    		by weight
    Molecular
        Weight:    		 348.05 daltons (amu)
    Specific
        Radioactivity:

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

    td>
    Specific Activity Dose Rate
    Becquerels Curies milliRADs
    per hour    		 microSieverts
    1.224 × 1005 3.31 × 10-06 1.63 16.30

    Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 3.6 RAD (3.6 centiSieverts)
    Crystalography:
    System: Hexagonal or Trigonal
    Axial Ratios: a: 1
    c: 1.51551
    Cell Dimensions: a: 15.79 Å
    c: 23.93 Å
    Z: 36
    V: 5,166.99 Å3
    DenCalc: 4.03
    H-M Symbol: Unknown
    Space Group: Unknown
    X-Ray Diffraction:
      By Intensity ( I/Io )    		 (1): 3.056 Å
    (0.77): 6.56 Å
    (0.55): 6.91 Å
    		Blatonite
    Crystal
    (Observed)
    Habit:
  • Acicular (stiletto-like needles)
  • Aggregates
  • Radial
  • Subparallel fibers
  • Some crystals may be bent, curved or coiled
  • Up to 1 mm long and < 0.1 mm wide
    		•  Crystal form appears somewhat variable
    Cleavage:
    [001]
    [010]
    [100] Parting
    		 
    Fracture: Uneven - Flexible fragments  
    Moh's
        Hardness:    		 2 - 3  
    Density: 3.99 - 4.02 - 4.05 grams/cm3
    Color: Canary-yellow  
    Streak: White  
    Luster: Silky  
    Diaphaneity: Translucent  
    Pleochroism:
    (x):  
    (y:)  
    (z:)  
    		 
    Ultra Violet
        Fluorescence:    		 Non-Fluorescent (One Specimen Examined)
    Magnetism: Non-magnetic  
    Occurance:
  • In seams of gypsum along bedding planes of a siltstone within the basal conglomerate member of the Shinarump Formation
    		•   
    Associated
        Minerals:

    Antlerite, Azurite, Blatonite, Boltwoodite, Brochantite, Carbonate-cyanotrichite, Coconinoite, Cuprite, Goethite, Gypsum, Hydrombobomkulite, Lepidocrocite, Malachite, Mbobomkulite, Metazeunerite, Rutherfordine, Sklodowskite, Smithsonite

    Minerals   -   Uranium & Thorium
    mineral links

    		These are minerals known to be found with Blatonite
    Localities:

    Extremely rare

    Blatonite Localities
    Notes:

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

    Crystals are probably metamic.

    First found by Patrick Haynes/

    Blatonite Images

    Specimen #1
       
     
    (001a) (001b) (001c)
    Jomac Mine, White Canyon,White Canyon District (White Canyon), San Juan Co., Utah, USA


    Specimen Notes

    Habit - The Blatonite occurs on a substrate of Aragonite and Calcite, isolated from the silicate host rock. The theory of hot radicals on the formation of Uranyl minerals indicates that this mineral should be able to occur on silicate.

    The Aragonite substrate has a rippled appearence that may have been formed in flowing water. Its slate color is overlayed by bands of lighter colored Aragonite. There are several layers on the specimen, with the Blatonite occuring in area that had broken away down to the striated layer.

    The Aragonite also occurs having a botryoidal form, best seen in image 001c. This milky white Aragonite forms a continuous layer elsewhere on the specimen.

    Kasolite occurs with the Blatonite on the Calcite by itself or next to the Blatonite, and directly on the Blatonite. It occurs as extremely, invisably, small microcrystals that have the appearence of a flocking on the Calcite. The location of the Blatonite in image 01a is in the upper left corner, next to the yellow area of Kasolite.

    Crystals - The crystals have two basic forms: long, thin 'sword' blades with a sharp point; and long, very thin, triangular needles. Both forms can be seen in all three images, but is best seen in image 001a.

    Several crystals have grown in bent shapes, as can be seen in the lower center of image 001a. One of these bent crystals has several bends that give it an angular spiral form. As the crystals will not fold into a sharp bend without breaking, it is believed that they grew this way, or were broken and healed into this shape.

    Crystal Groups - The crystals of Blatonite have only a slight preference for forming radial clusters, but tend to be independant of their neighbors' orientation.

    Luster - The crystals have striations that are parallel to its long axis, giving them a silky luster. The broader crystals have striations that are less pronounced, giving them a more textured adamantine appearence.

    Specimen Physical Properties
    Size   cm   cm   cm
    Weight: x grams    
    g-Radiation Level:   cmp   msieverts background: 20 cpm