Oppenheimerite
General
CategorySulfate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		Na2(UO2)(SO4)2•3H2O
IMA symbolOhm[1]
Crystal systemTriclinic
Crystal classPinacoidal (1)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupP1
Unit cella = 7.96, b = 8.20,
c = 9.81 [Å]; α = 65.97°
β = 70.28°, γ = 91.46° (approximated), Z = 2
Identification
ColorPale greenish-yellow
Crystal habitprismatic
Cleavage{110}, {011} and {101}, good
FractureIrregular
Mohs scale hardness2.5
LusterVitreous
StreakWhite
DiaphaneityTransparent
Density3.36 (calculated) (approximated)
Optical propertiesBiaxal (+)
Refractive indexnα=1.54, nβ=1.63, nγ=1.59 (approximated)
PleochroismVery pale greenish-yellow (X), pale greenish-yellow (Y), greenish-yellow (Z)
2V angle72o (measured)
Ultraviolet fluorescenceGreenish-white
Other characteristics Radioactive
References[2][3]

Oppenheimerite is a very rare uranium mineral with the formula Na2(UO2)(SO4)2•3H2O.[2][3] Chemically related minerals include fermiite, natrozippeite, plášilite, belakovskiite and meisserite.[4][5][6][7][8] Most of these uranyl sulfate minerals were originally found in the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, US.[9] The mineral is named after American Theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.[3]

Association and origin

Oppenheimerite is associated with other sulfate minerals: fermiite, bluelizardite, wetherillite, blödite, chalcanthite, epsomite, gypsum, hexahydrite, kröhnkite, manganoblödite, sideronatrite, and tamarugite.[2]

Crystal structure

The crystal structure of oppenheimerite is of a new type. It contains chains of the (UO2)(SO4)2(H2O) composition, connected with two types of sodium polyhedra.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kampf, A.R., Plášil, J., Kasatkin, A.V., Marty, J., and Čejka, J., 2015. Fermiite, Na4(UO2)(SO4)3·3H2O and oppenheimerite, Na2(UO2)(SO4)2·3H2O, two new uranyl sulfate minerals from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine 79(5), 1123-1142
  3. 1 2 3 "Oppenheimerite: Oppenheimerite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  4. ↑ "Fermiite: Fermiite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  5. ↑ "Natrozippeite: Natrozippeite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  6. ↑ "Plášilite: Plášilite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  7. ↑ "Belakovskiite: Belakovskiite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  8. ↑ "Meisserite: Meisserite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  9. ↑ "Blue Lizard Mine, Chocolate Drop, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan Co., Utah, USA - Mindat.org". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
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