Radian Barite

 Not An Accepted Mineral Species
Radium
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Danger!

This mineral contains amounts of radium that make it extremely radioactive.
A single gram of this mineral, in under one (1) hour, can expose one to the dose one normally receives in a single year!

One (1) gram contains approximately 0.85 millicuries of radium!

Property Data Remarks
Named for: Barite and its Radium content
Alternate
    Name(s):
  • Radiobarite
  • Radiobarit
  • Radiobarita
    		•   
    Mineral Class:
    Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates
      Unclassified Strunz Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates
        Barite Group
    		 
    Chemical
        Formula:    		 (Ba,Ra)SO4  
    Chemical
        Composition:
    Barium: (Ba) 58.83%
    Oxygen: (O) 27.42%
    Sulfur: (S) 13.74%
    Radium: (Ra) 0.01%
    		by weight
    Molecular
        Weight:    		 233.40 daltons (amu)
    Specific
        Radioactivity:

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

    Specific Activity Dose Rate
    Becquerels Curies milliRems/hour milliSieverts/hour
    3.1847200 × 1007 8.61 × 10-04 444.34 44.43417

    Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 360 mRem (3.6 milliSieverts)

    Compare with Uraninite.
    Crystalography:
    System: Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal
    Axial Ratios: a: 1.6289
    b: 1
    c: 1.3122
    Cell Dimensions: a: 8.878 Å
    b: 5.45 Å
    c: 7.152 Å
    Z: 4
    V: 346.05 Å3
    DenCalc: 4.48
    H-M Symbol: 2/m 2/m 2/m
    Space Group:  
    X-Ray Diffraction:
      By Intensity ( I/Io )    		 (0.):   Å
    (0.):   Å
    (0.):   Å
    		Radiobarite
    Crystal
    Habit:
  • Tabular
  • Prismatic - acicular
  • Massive - Fibrous
    		•   
    Cleavage:
    [010] Perfect
    [210] Perfect
    [100] Imperfect
    		 
    Fracture: Uneven  
    Moh's
        Hardness:    		 3 - 3.5  
    Density: 4.48 grams/cm3
    Color: White, Yellowish white  
    Streak: White  
    Luster: Vitreous  
    Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent to opaque  
    Pleochroism:
    (x):  
    (y:)  
    (z:)  
    		 
    Ultra Violet
        Fluorescence:
    Long Wave:  
    Short Wave:  
    		 
    Magnetism: Non-magnetic  
    Occurance:
  • Highly radioactive secondary mineral formed in the oxidized zone of sediment-hosted uranium deposits
  • Microdeposits in some oil well pipes
    		•   
    Associated
        Minerals:

    Mineral   -   > 50% of sites
    Mineral   -   > 25% of sites
    Mineral   -   > 15% of sites
    Minerals   -   Uranium & Thorium
    mineral links

    		These are minerals known to be found with Radian Barite
    Locations:

    Extremely Rare! - rapidly decays in very short geologic times due to the relatively short halflife of Radium (~1622 years).

    Radian Barite Locations
    Notes:

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

    Crystals are probably metamic.