Schmitterite Mineral Data

General Schmitterite Information

Chemical Formula:

(UO2)TeO3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 445.63 gm

Uranium 53.41 % U 60.60 % UO₂

Tellurium 28.63 % Te 35.81 % TeO₂

Oxygen 17.95 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.41 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

(UO₂)(TeO₃)

Environment:

Secondary mineral in the oxidized portions of a telluride-bearing deposit.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1971

Locality:

Moctezuma mine ("La Bamolla"), Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Eduardo Schmitter Villada (1904-1982), professor of mineralogy, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

Name Pronunciation:

Schmitterite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 2553

PDF 25-1001

Schmitterite Image

Images:

Click Here for Larger Schmitterite Image

Schmitterite Emmonsite

Comments: Yellow schmitterite with green emmonsite.
Location: Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. Scale: Picture size 4 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Schmitterite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.779:1:0.532

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.86, b = 10.089, c = 5.368, Z = 4; V = 425.68 Den(Calc)= 6.95

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pmab

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.682(1), 3.099(0.9), 5.35(0.9),

Crystal Structure:

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Loopstra B O , Brandenburg N P , Acta Crystallographica, Section B , 34 (1978) p.1335-1337, Uranyl selenite and uranyl tellurite, Locality: synthetic

Physical Properties of Schmitterite

Cleavage:

{100} Good

Color:

Colorless, Light yellow.

Density:

6.878

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Hardness:

1 - Talc

Luster:

Pearly

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Schmitterite

Optical Data:

NCalc= 1.92 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.1326) where Ncalc=Dcalc*KC+1
NCalc= 1.91 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.1326) where Ncalc=Dmeas*KC+1

Calculated Properties of Schmitterite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=5.74 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Schmitterite =6.95 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.02
Boson Index = 0.98

Photoelectric:

PE_Schmitterite=1,573.84 barns/electron
U=PE_Schmitterite x r_electron=9,032.80 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 3,759,848.95 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Schmitterite per GRapi unit = 265.97 (PPB)

Schmitterite is Radioactive as defined in 49 CFR 173.403. Greater than 70 Bq / gram.

Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 10 cm box) 8.09 ± 2.02 grams of pure Schmitterite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 808.99 ±202.25 grams of pure Schmitterite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Schmitterite** - very strong
Specimen Size Weight/Volume (Sphere) *	Calculated Activity Becquerels (Bq)	Calculated Activity Curies (Ci)	Estimated Activity GR(api)	Estimated Exposure (mRem**)/hr If Held in Hand For One Hour
1000 gm / 6.50 cm	95,611,977	2.58E-03	3,759,848.95	1,236.11
100 gm / 3.02 cm	9,561,198	2.58E-04	375,984.90	123.61
10 gm / 1.40 cm	956,120	2.58E-05	37,598.49	12.36
1 gm / 6.50 mm	95,612	2.58E-06	3,759.85	1.24
0.1 gm / 3.02 mm	9,561	2.58E-07	375.98	0.12
0.01 gm / 1.40 mm	956	2.58E-08	37.60	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.65 mm	96	2.58E-09	3.76	0.00

Weight of pure Schmitterite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 6.95 gm/cc.*
Goverment Estimate of Average Annual Exposure ( 360 mRem) **
Note: 10 microsieverts/hr = 1 mRem/hr **
Max Permissable Adult Dose 50,000 mRem/yr (hands), 15,000 mRem/yr (eyes)
Lethal Dose LD(50) Exposure 400,000 to 500,000 mRem

Schmitterite Classification

Dana Class:

34.01.06.01 (34)Selenites - Tellurites - Sulfites

(34.01)as A++ XO3

(34.01.06)Dana Group

34.01.06.01 Schmitterite (UO2)TeO3 Pmab 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

04.JK.70 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

04.J - Arsenites, Antimonites, Bismuthites, Sulfites,

04.JK -Tellurites without additional anions, without H2O

04.JK.70 Schmitterite (UO2)TeO3 Pmab 2/m 2/m 2/m

Other Schmitterite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Schmitterite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - Uranium Minerals
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Schmitterite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Schmitterite Specimen Label here :

Schmitterite

(UO2)TeO3
Dana No: 34.01.06.01 Strunz No: 04.JK.70
Locality:

Notes: