Trinitite

'Trinitite'
(Not a valid mineral species)
Plutonium (trace)
(More Images)

Type 2	05:29 MWT July 16, 1945	Type 3
Type 2 (bottom)	05:29 MWT July 16, 1945	Type 3 (bottom)

Property Data Remarks
Named for: Trinity Flats, White Sands Proving Grounds, White Sands, Journada del Muerto, New Mexico, USA, where it was created by the 'Gadget' nuclear detonation
Alternate
Name(s):

Mineral Class: Artificial mineral (caused by first nuclear weapons test)
Chemical
Formula: N/A Fused fieldspars, clay, quartz
Specific
Radioactivity:
(All radiation is for a 1 gram, fully aged specimen)

Varys with the specimen and its location in the blast field. Most are currently near, or at, background levels.

Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 3.6 Rem (3.6 centiSieverts)

Crystalography: Non-crystaline
Habit:
Fused material.

Cleavage: None
Fracture: Brittle, Conchoidal, Crumbles
Moh's Hardness:
Density: grams/cm³
Color: Light olive green
Streak:
Luster: Sand-like - dull - vitrious
Diaphaneity:
Pleochroism: None
Ultra Violet
Fluorescence: Non-Fluorescent (Two Specimens Examined)
Magnetism: Non-magnetic
Occurance:
Trinitite was formed by the world's first nuclear detonation at Trinity Flats, White Sands, New Mexico, USA. Similar material may occur at the sites of other surface nuclear weapons detonations.

Non-nuclear high temperature occurances (rocket failures, fires, etc) can fuse earth into a glass-like material that is similar, but not the same. Lightning strikes cause a fused earth material called 'Fulgarites'.

Associated
Minerals:
Localities: Latitude: 33 40' 31'' N
Longitude: 106 28' 29'' W
(Trinity Flats, White Sands Proving Grounds, White Sands, New Mexico, USA)
Notes:
Mildly radioactive a- and b-particles, g-rays.

Created July 16, 1945 at 5:29 a.m. Mountain War Time as a result of the first nuclear weapon detonation (the "Gadget").

Differentiated from similar non-nuclear materials, and counterfeits, by the presence of Cesium-137, which is detected by 656.57 - 666.46 keV g-ray emission. This information courtesy of the Mineralogical Research Co.

An excellent history of the first nuclear detonation that took place at Trinity Flats, White Sands Proving Grounds (aka: White Sands Missile Range), New Mexico, U.S.A., is the Los Alamos National Laboritory report LA-6300H (4.3 Mb in .pdf format). The Health Physics report, LA-3719 (also in .pdf format, 450 kb) details the radiological aspects of the test.

What is likely the most famous report on nuclear weapons, and the first to outline their design, is LA-1, the Los Alamos Primer (3.1 Mb in .pdf format). Robert Serber's excellant book, titled The Los Alamos Primer, is recommended both for its historical insights and explaination of the LA-1 document, which was also authored by him. It is regretable that the Los Alamos web-site has all but closed itself to the public for access to many important and interesting historical documents.

For those worried that 'Trinitite' may suddenly be formed in your home town, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory report A Homemade Fallout Meter, The KFM: How to Make and Use It"may of interest. It is usable down to about 300 microSieverts. This device is simple, cheap and easily made from household items. It is also surprisingly accurate as the calibration is inherent to the design.

Trinitite Images

Microphotographs of Specimen Type 2


(above - top surface) (below - bottom surface)


		(same area, different focus)

Property	Data	Remarks
Named for:	Trinity Flats, White Sands Proving Grounds, White Sands, Journada del Muerto, New Mexico, USA, where it was created by the 'Gadget' nuclear detonation
Alternate Name(s):
Mineral Class:	Artificial mineral (caused by first nuclear weapons test)
Chemical Formula:	N/A	Fused fieldspars, clay, quartz
Specific Radioactivity:	(All radiation is for a 1 gram, fully aged specimen) Varys with the specimen and its location in the blast field. Most are currently near, or at, background levels. Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 3.6 Rem (3.6 centiSieverts)
Crystalography:	Non-crystaline
Habit:	Fused material.
Cleavage:	None
Fracture:	Brittle, Conchoidal, Crumbles
Moh's Hardness:
Density:		grams/cm³
Color:	Light olive green
Streak:
Luster:	Sand-like - dull - vitrious
Diaphaneity:
Pleochroism:	None
Ultra Violet Fluorescence:	Non-Fluorescent	(Two Specimens Examined)
Magnetism:	Non-magnetic
Occurance:	Trinitite was formed by the world's first nuclear detonation at Trinity Flats, White Sands, New Mexico, USA. Similar material may occur at the sites of other surface nuclear weapons detonations. Non-nuclear high temperature occurances (rocket failures, fires, etc) can fuse earth into a glass-like material that is similar, but not the same. Lightning strikes cause a fused earth material called 'Fulgarites'.
Associated Minerals:
Localities:	Latitude: 33 40' 31'' N Longitude: 106 28' 29'' W (Trinity Flats, White Sands Proving Grounds, White Sands, New Mexico, USA)
Notes:	Mildly radioactive a- and b-particles, g-rays. Created July 16, 1945 at 5:29 a.m. Mountain War Time as a result of the first nuclear weapon detonation (the "Gadget"). Differentiated from similar non-nuclear materials, and counterfeits, by the presence of Cesium-137, which is detected by 656.57 - 666.46 keV g-ray emission. This information courtesy of the Mineralogical Research Co. An excellent history of the first nuclear detonation that took place at Trinity Flats, White Sands Proving Grounds (aka: White Sands Missile Range), New Mexico, U.S.A., is the Los Alamos National Laboritory report LA-6300H (4.3 Mb in .pdf format). The Health Physics report, LA-3719 (also in .pdf format, 450 kb) details the radiological aspects of the test. What is likely the most famous report on nuclear weapons, and the first to outline their design, is LA-1, the Los Alamos Primer (3.1 Mb in .pdf format). Robert Serber's excellant book, titled The Los Alamos Primer, is recommended both for its historical insights and explaination of the LA-1 document, which was also authored by him. It is regretable that the Los Alamos web-site has all but closed itself to the public for access to many important and interesting historical documents. For those worried that 'Trinitite' may suddenly be formed in your home town, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory report A Homemade Fallout Meter, The KFM: How to Make and Use It"may of interest. It is usable down to about 300 microSieverts. This device is simple, cheap and easily made from household items. It is also surprisingly accurate as the calibration is inherent to the design.