Zeunerite

Zeunerite
IMA-GP
Uranium 40.2a.14.1
(Dana Classification Number)
(Images) 7/E.01-80
(Strunz ID)
Unless sealed in glass, all specimens should be considered to have become Metazeunerite within a few months of being exposed to ambient air.

Dehydrates to Meta-Zeunerite in air at 65° C.

Property Data Remarks
Named for: Gustav A. Zeuner (1828-1907), Physicist and Director of the School of Mines at Freiberg, Saxony, Germany
Alternate
Name(s):

Mineral Class:

Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
Uranylphosphates and uranylvanadates with
[UO₂]²⁺ - [PO₄ | AsO₄]^3- and
[UO₂]²⁺ - [V₂O₈]^6-
Autunite group

Chemical
Formula: Cu(UO₂)₂(AsO₄)₂ · 10-16H₂O
Chemical
Composition:

Arsenic: (As) 14.11%
Copper: (Cu) 5.99%
Hydrogen: (H) 1.90%
Oxygen: (O) 33.16%
Uranium: (U) 44.84%
by weight
Molecular
Weight: 1,061.59 daltons (amu)
Specific
Radioactivity:
(All radiation is for a 1 gram, fully aged specimen)

Specific Activity Dose Rate
Becquerels Curies milliRems/hour microSieverts/hour
8.0270 × 10⁰⁴ 2.17 × 10^-06 1.12 112.46

Estimated Average Annual Exposure: 360 mRem (3.6 milliSieverts)

Crystalography:

System: Tetragonal- Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Axial Ratios: a: 1
c: 2.93314
Cell Dimensions: a: 7.18 Å
c: 21.06 Å
Z: 2
V: 1,085.69 Å³
Den_Calc: 3.25
H-M Symbol: 4/m 2/m 2/m
Space Group: P4/nnc
X-Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity ( ^I/_{I_o} ) (1): 3.59 Å
(1): 10.3 Å
(0.7): 5.2 Å
Zeunerite
Crystal
Habit:
Tabular square or octahedral crystals dominated by two pinacoid faces

Bipyramidal crystals

Crystals can look cubic (pseudocubic)

Crusts

Micaceous, platy

Foliated

Earthy

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect
[010]
[100]
Cleavage sheets are brittle, not bendable

Fracture: Uneven
Moh's
Hardness: 2.5
Density: 3.2 - 3.4 grams/cm³
Color: Emerald green (typical) to yellow
Streak: Pale green
Luster: Vitreous, Pearly on cleavage surfaces
Diaphaneity: Transparent to Translucent
Pleochroism:

(x):
(y:)
(z:)

Ultra Violet
Fluorescence: Non-fluorescent
Magnetism: Non-magnetic
Occurance:
Secondary mineral in arsenate bearing uranium deposits

Associated
Minerals: Barite, Fluorite, Olivenite, Brochantite, Scorodite, Heinrichite, Mixite, Walpurgite, Uraninite and other uranium 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 Zeunerite
Locations:
Relatively common
Zeunerite Locations
Notes:
Strongly radioactive a- and b-particles, g-rays.

Distinguished from Torbernite by its association with arsenic minerals and brittle cleavage sheets.

Named for G. A Zeuner, a German physicist.

In meta-Zeunerite, calcium replaces the copper.

Zeunerite Images

Specimen #1

Cinovec (Cinvald; Zinnwald), Teplice (Teplitz), Krusné Hory (Erzgebirge), Severoceský Kraj, Bohemia, Czech Republic

Specimen Notes

Occurrence -

Crystals -

Appearence -

Diaphaniety -

Luster -

-

Specimen Physical Properties

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

Specimen #2

Majuba Hill Mine, Pershing Co., Nevada, USA

Zeunerite	IMA-GP
Uranium	40.2a.14.1 (Dana Classification Number)
(Images)	7/E.01-80 (Strunz ID)
Unless sealed in glass, all specimens should be considered to have become Metazeunerite within a few months of being exposed to ambient air.