Rauvite

 IMA-GP
Uranium 47.4.4.1
(Dana Classification Number)
(Images) 4/G.05-10
(Strunz ID)

Rauvite is poorly characterized due to extreme variability of the oxidative states of its
Uranium and Vanadium content, which affects its physical properties.

Property Data Remarks
Named for: the chemical symbols of its constituant metals: Radium (Ra), Uranium (U) and Vanadium (V)
Alternate
    Name(s):
  		•  
    Mineral Class:
    Oxides
      Vanadium oxides (with V+4/+5),
    Appendix to Vanadates: Unclassified Vanadates
        Unclassified Vanadates, Namibite
    		 
    Chemical
        Formula:    		 Ca(UO2)2(V+510O28) · 16H2O  
    Chemical
        Composition:
    Calcium: (Ca) 2.20%
    Hydrogen: (H) 1.77%
    Oxygen: (O) 42.06%
    Uranium: (U) 26.07%
    Vanadium: (V) 27.90%
    		by weight
    Molecular
        Weight:    		 1,825.78 daltons (amu)
    Specific
        Radioactivity:

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

    Specific Activity Dose Rate
    Becquerels Curies milliRems/hour microSieverts/hour
    4.6673 × 1004 1.26 × 10-06 0.68 68.04

    Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 360 mRem (3.6 milliSieverts)
    Crystalography:
    System: Amorphous
    X-Ray Diffraction:
      By Intensity ( I/Io )    		 (1): 10.7 Å
    (0.5): 2.95 Å
    (0.4): 3.49 Å
    (0.3): 2.62 Å
    		 
    Habit:
  • Having the appearance of a hardened gel-like precipitate
  • Compact masses
  • Very fine crystals (?)
  • Botryoidal crusts
  • Filmy coatings
  • Filling cracks
  • Filling interstitial spaces in sandstone
    		•   
    Cleavage: None  
    Fracture:
  • Brittle and choncoidal; to
  • Sectile and wax-like
    		•   
    Moh's
        Hardness:    		 (variable)  
    Density: 2.92 grams/cm3
    Color: Black, Bluish-black, dark Purple, light to dark Orange-yellow, Orange-brown, Burnt orange (Brownish-red also reported)  
    Streak: Olive, Yellowish-brown, Brown  
    Luster: Subadamantine to Adamantine, Waxy  
    Diaphaneity: Semitransparent  
    Birefringeance: Relatively coursely crystalized Rauvite reported to be highly birefringenet.  
    Pleochroism:
    (x):  
    (y:)  
    (z:)  
    		 
    Ultra Violet
        Fluorescence:    		 Non-fluorescent  
    Magnetism: Non-magnetic  
    Occurance:
  • On sandstones in vanadiferous uranium ores
  • In numerous Uranium-Vanadium deposits of the Colorado Plateau, and Black Hills area, U.S.A.
  • Believed to have formed under more acidic conditions than Carnotite and Tyuyamunite
    		•   
    Associated
        Minerals:

    Agate, Barite, Calcite, Carnotite, Coffinite, Corvusite, Cuprosklodowskite, Gypsum, Hewettite, Häggite, Metahewettite, Metatyuyamunite, Pascoite, Quartz, Roscoelite, Schröckingerite, Sodium-Zippeite, Tyuyamunite, Uraninite, Uranophane, Uvanite, Vanoxite

    Mineral   -   Close associates
    Mineral   -   > 50% of sites
    Mineral   -   > 30% of sites
    Minerals   -   Uranium & Thorium
    mineral links

    		These are minerals known to be found with Rauvite
    Locations:

    Very rare

    Rauvite Locations
    Notes:

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

    True crystals are not known to exist, and probably metamic if found.

    Differentiated from Corvusite and Vanoxite by its uranium content.

    Much of the data on Rauvite is given in USGS Bulletin 1064.

    Rauvite Images

    Specimen #1
    (001a) (001b) (001c) (001d)

     
    (001e) (001f) (001g) (001h)
    Monument No. 2 Mine, Monument Valley, Apache Co., Arizona, USA

    Specimen Notes

    Occurrence - The Rauvite occurs a both a filmy coating and amorphous masses filling spaces in a sandstone composed of fine silts to course sand.

     

    Crystals - None - non-crystaline mineral.

    Appearence -  

    Diaphaniety -

    Luster - The Rauvite films are earthy to subadamantine, often taking the luster from the material it is on.

     

      -  

     

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