Piretite

 IMA-A 1996-002
Uranium 34.7.3.2
(Dana Classification Number)
(No Images) 4/K.11-28
(Strunz ID)

Property Data Remarks
Named for: Dr. Paul Piret (1932- ), Professor of Crystallography, University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Alternate
    Name(s):
  		•  
    Mineral Class:
    Oxides
      Uranyl-Selenides with [UO2]2+ - [SeO3]2- groups
        Derriksite - Demesmaekerite series
    		 
    Chemical
        Formula:    		 Ca(UO2)3(SeO3)2(OH)4 · 4H2O  
    Chemical
        Composition:
    Calcium: (Ca) 3.22%
    Hydrogen: (H) 0.97%
    Oxygen: (O) 25.72%
    Selenium: (Se) 12.69%
    Uranium: (U) 57.39%
    		by weight
    Molecular
        Weight:    		 1,244.17 daltons (amu)
    Specific
        Radioactivity:

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

    Specific Activity Dose Rate
    Becquerels Curies milliRems/hour microSieverts/hour
    1.02737 × 1005 2.78 × 10-06 1.39 138.58

    Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 360 mRem (3.6 milliSieverts)
    Crystalography:
    System: Orthorhombic
    Axial Ratios: a: 0.4091
    b: 1
    c: 1.0274
    Cell Dimensions: a: 7.01 Å
    b: 17.135 Å
    c: 17.606 Å
    Z: 4
    V: 2,114.77 Å3
    DenCalc: 3.91
    H-M Symbol:  
    Space Group: Pmn21, Pmnm
    X-Ray Diffraction:
      By Intensity ( I/Io )    		 (1): 3.032 Å
    (1): 3.51 Å
    (0.8): 8.79 Å
    		 
    Habit:
  • Tabular
  • Acicular
  • Prismatic
    		•   
    Cleavage:
    [001] Good
    [010]  
    [100]  
    		 
    Fracture: Fragile  
    Moh's
        Hardness:    		 2.5  
    Density: 4.0 - 4.01 grams/cm3
    Color: Lemon yellow  
    Streak: Pale yellow  
    Luster: Pearly  
    Diaphaneity: Transparent to Translucent  
    Pleochroism:
    (x):  
    (y:)  
    (z:)  
    		 
    Ultra Violet
        Fluorescence:
    Long Wave:  
    Short Wave:  
    		 
    Magnetism: Non-magnetic  
    Occurance:
  • In the alteration zone of Uranium deposits
    		•   
    Associated
        Minerals:

    Barite, Becquerelite, Bijvoetite-(Y), Billietite, Calcite var: Cobaltoan Calcite, Carrollite, Cattierite, Chernikovite, Comblainite, 'Cousinite', Cuprosklodowskite, Curienite, Curite, Dewindtite, Dumontite, Fourmarierite, Guilleminite, Gysinite-(Nd), Ianthinite, Kasolite, Lepersonnite-(Gd), Liebigite, Masuyite, Metaschoepite, Metastudtite, Metatorbernite, Metavandendriesscheite, Oursinite, Paraschoepite, Parsonsite, Phosphuranylite, Phurcalite, Piretite, Platinum, Protasite, Richetite, Roubaultite, Rutherfordine, Saléeite, Sayrite, Schmitterite, Schoepite, Sengierite, Sharpite, Sklodowskite, Soddyite, Studtite, Torbernite, Umohoite, Urancalcarite, Uraninite, Uranophane, Vaesite, Vandenbrandeite, Vandendriesscheite, Wolsendorfite, Wyartite, Zippeite

    Minerals   -   Uranium & Thorium
    mineral links

    		These are minerals known to be found with Piretite
    Locations:

    Extremely rare

    Piretite Locations
    Notes:

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

    Crystals are probably metamic.