Ranunculite

 IMA-A 1978-067
Uranium 42.2.2.1
(Dana Classification Number)
(No Images) 7/E.05-10
(Strunz ID)

Property Data Remarks
Named for: The color "ranunculus", buttercup
Alternate
    Name(s):
  		•  
    Mineral Class:
    Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
      Uranylphosphates and uranylvanadates with
    [UO2]2+ - [PO4 | AsO4]3- and
    [UO2]2+ - [V2O8]6-
        Ranunculite - Moreauite series
    		 
    Chemical
        Formula:    		 HAl(UO2)(PO4)(OH)3 · 4H2O
    or:
    Al[(UO2)(OH)3(PO3OH)]     		 
    Chemical
        Composition:
    Aluminum: (Al) 5.23%
    Hydrogen: (H) 2.34%
    Oxygen: (O) 40.30%
    Phosphorus: (P) 6.00%
    Uranium: (U) 46.12%
    		by weight
    Molecular
        Weight:    		 516.07 daltons (amu)
    Specific
        Radioactivity:

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

    Specific Activity Dose Rate
    Becquerels Curies milliRems/hour microSieverts/hour
    82,561 2.23 × 10-06 1.18 118.22

    Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 360 mRem (3.6 milliSieverts)
    Crystalography:
    System: Monoclinic
    Axial Ratios: a: 0.6271
    b: 1
    c: 1.0169
    Cell Dimensions: a: 11.1 Å
    b: 17.7 Å
    c: 18.0 Å
    Z: 14
    b: 90°
    V: 3,536.46 Å3
    DenCalc: 3.39
    H-M Symbol:  
    Space Group: (pseudo ortho)
    X-Ray Diffraction:
      By Intensity ( I/Io )    		 (1): 9.0 Å
    (0.8): 3.133 Å
    (0.5): 4.7 Å
    (0.4): 2.98 Å
    		 
    Habit:
  • Irregular
  • Nodular, up to 0.3 mm
  • Platy, rounded micro-tablets with a radiating structure
  • Botryoidal crusts
    		•   
    Cleavage:
    [001] Perfect
    [010]  
    [100] Perfect
    		 
    Fracture: Irregular  
    Moh's
        Hardness:    		 3  
    Density: 3.4 grams/cm3
    Color: Yellow to Golden brown  
    Streak: Light yellow to Golden yellow  
    Luster: Adamantine  
    Diaphaneity:    
    Pleochroism:
    (x): Pale green yellow
    (y:) Yellow
    (z:) Pale green yellow
    		 
    Ultra Violet
        Fluorescence:    		 Non-Fluorescent  
    Magnetism: Non-magnetic  
    Occurance:
  • In Uranium-rich parts of a pegmatite, with other Aluminum-Uranium phosphates
    		•   
    Associated
        Minerals:

    Althupite, Amblygonite, Benauite, Bermanite, Beryl, 'Columbite', Dumontite, Eylettersite, Furongite, Kamitugaite, 'Kivuite', Lusungite, Meta-Autunite, Metavanmeersscheite, Montebrasite, 'Moreauite', Mundite, Phosphuranylite, Phuralumite, Plumbomicrolite, Quartz, Rutherfordine, Saléeite, Studtite, Threadgoldite, Triangulite, Upalite, Uraninite, Vanmeersscheite, Wakefieldite-(Ce)

    Minerals   -   Uranium & Thorium
    mineral links

    		These are minerals known to be found with Ranunculite
    Locations:

    Extremely rare

    Ranunculite Locations

    Kivu, Lusungu River District, Kobokobo Pegmatite, Congo (Zaïre) (type locale - only known location)
    Notes:

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

    Crystals are probably metamic.