Moctezumite

 IMA-A 1965-004
Uranium 34.1.5.1
(Dana Classification Number)
(No Images) 4/K.03-20
(Strunz ID)

Property Data Remarks
Named for: Moctezuma Mine, Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico, its type locality
Alternate
    Name(s):
  		•  
    Mineral Class:
    Oxides
      Sulfides, selenides, tellurides with [XO3]-2 groups and related structures
        Schmitterite - Moctezumite series
    		 
    Chemical
        Formula:    		 Pb(UO2)(TeO3)2  
    Chemical
        Composition:
    Oxygen: (O) 15.45%
    Lead: (Pb) 25.01%
    Tellurium: (Te) 30.81%
    Uranium: (U) 28.73%
    		by weight
    Molecular
        Weight:    		 828.42 daltons (amu)
    Specific
        Radioactivity:

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

    Specific Activity Dose Rate
    Becquerels Curies milliRems/hour microSieverts/hour
    5.1432 × 1004 1.39 × 10-06 0.66 66.48

    Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 360 mRem (3.6 milliSieverts)
    Crystalography:
    System: Monoclinic - Prismatic
    Axial Ratios: a: 1.1065
    b: 1
    c: 1.9508
    Cell Dimensions: a: 7.813 Å
    b: 7.061 Å
    c: 13.775 Å
    Z: 4
    b: 93.71°
    V: 758.34 Å3
    DenCalc: 7.26
    H-M Symbol: 2/m
    Space Group: P21/c
    X-Ray Diffraction:
      By Intensity ( I/Io )    		 (1): 3.156 Å
    (0.9): 3.492 Å
    (0.8): 2.997 Å
    		 
    Habit:
  • Small granular crystals
    		•   
    Cleavage:
    [001]  
    [010]  
    [100] Perfect
    		 
    Fracture:    
    Moh's
        Hardness:    		 3  
    Density: 5.73 grams/cm3
    Color: Light orange to Bright orange to Brownish orange  
    Streak: Pale orange  
    Luster: Vitreous - Adamantine  
    Diaphaneity: Translucent  
    Pleochroism:
    (x):  
    (y:)  
    (z:)  
    		 
    Ultra Violet
        Fluorescence:    		 Non-fluorescent  
    Magnetism: Non-magnetic  
    Occurance:
  • Secondary mineral in telluride-bearing ores
    		•   
    Associated
        Minerals:

    Acanthite, Aragonite, Azurite, Bambollaite, Barite, Burckhardtite, Calcite, Caledonite, Carlfriesite, Cerussite, Cervelleite, Chalcomenite, Cliffordite, Cuzticite, Denningite, Dickite, Emmonsite, Eztlite, Fornacite, 'Garnet Group', Goethite, Gold, Gypsum var: Selenite, Hakite, Hessite, Illite, Jarosite, Klockmannite, Kuranakhite, Libethenite, Mackayite, Malachite, Mimetite, Mroseite, Paratellurite, Plumbojarosite, Plumbotellurite, Poughite, Pseudomalachite, Pyrite, Pyrolusite, Quartz, Schmitterite, Selenium, Siderite, Sonoraite, Spiroffite, Tellurite, Tellurium, Yafsoanite, Zemannite

    Many of these minerals are tellerate/tellerites/tellerides known only at these two locations.

    Mineral   -   Both sites
    Mineral   -   One site only
    Minerals   -   Uranium & Thorium
    mineral links

    		These are minerals known to be found with Moctezumite
    Locations:

    Extremely rare

    Moctezumite Locations
    Notes:

    Radioactive a- and b-particles, g-rays.

    Crystals may be metamict.

    Moctezumite is a very rare tellurium mineral discovered in 1965 by Richard Gaines (1917 - 1999), an American minerologist. The Moctezuma Mine is known for rare tellurium minerals.