Swamboite Mineral Data

General Swamboite Information

Chemical Formula:

U++++++H6(UO2)6(SiO4)6•30(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 2,957.20 gm

Uranium 56.34 % U 54.79 % UO₂ / 9.67 % UO₃

Silicon 5.70 % Si 12.19 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 2.25 % H 20.10 % H₂O

Oxygen 35.71 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 96.75 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

UH₆(UO₂)₆(SiO₄)₆•30(H₂O)

Environment:

Alteration product of other uranium minerals.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1981

Locality:

Swambo, Shaba, Zaire. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Swamboite + Pronunciation

Swamboite Image

Images:

Swamboite

Comments: Yellow crystals of Swamboite to 0.5 mm across.
Location: Swambo, Katanga, Dem. Rep. of the Congo. Scale: Picture size 1.5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Swamboite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.84:1:0.958

Cell Dimensions:

a = 17.64, b = 21, c = 20.12, Z = 6; beta = 103.4° V = 7,250.34 Den(Calc)= 4.06

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/a

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 8.67(1), 4.32(0.8), 4.76(0.8),

Physical Properties of Swamboite

Cleavage:

{201} Good

Color:

Light yellow.

Density:

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Swamboite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.023 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.008 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1612,KPDmeas= 0.1637,KC= 0.1599
Ncalc = 1.64 - 1.65

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.64, b=1.661, g=1.663, bire=0.0230, 2V(Calc)=32, 2V(Meas)=30.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

pale yellow.

Pleochroism (z):

pale yellow.

Calculated Properties of Swamboite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.63 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Swamboite =4.06 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0068926874
Boson Index = 0.9931073126

Photoelectric:

PE_Swamboite=1,430.04 barns/electron
U=PE_Swamboite x r_electron=5,191.06 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 4,293,995.61 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Swamboite per GRapi unit = 232.88 (PPB)

Swamboite 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) 7.08 ± 1.77 grams of pure Swamboite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 708.35 ±177.09 grams of pure Swamboite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Swamboite** - 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 / 7.78 cm	100,855,619	2.73E-03	4,293,995.61	1,411.72
100 gm / 3.61 cm	10,085,562	2.73E-04	429,399.56	141.17
10 gm / 1.68 cm	1,008,556	2.73E-05	42,939.96	14.12
1 gm / 7.78 mm	100,856	2.73E-06	4,294.00	1.41
0.1 gm / 3.61 mm	10,086	2.73E-07	429.40	0.14
0.01 gm / 1.68 mm	1,009	2.73E-08	42.94	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.78 mm	101	2.73E-09	4.29	0.00

Weight of pure Swamboite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 4.06 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

Swamboite Classification

Dana Class:

53.03.01.08 (53)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups and Other Anions of Complex Cations

(53.03)with (UO2)

(53.03.01)Uranophane group

53.03.01.01 Kasolite Pb(UO2)SiO4•(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

53.03.01.02 Uranophane Ca(UO2)2SiO3(OH)2•5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

53.03.01.03 Sklodowskite (H3O)2Mg(UO2)2(SiO4)2•4(H2O) C 2/m 2/m

53.03.01.04 Cuprosklodowskite Cu[(UO2)(SiO2OH)]2•6(H2O) P1 1

53.03.01.05 Boltwoodite HK(UO2)(SiO4)•1.5(H2O) P 2₁ 2

53.03.01.06 Natroboltwoodite (H3O)(Na,K)(UO2)SiO4•(H2O) P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

53.03.01.07 Oursinite (Co,Mg)(H3O)2[(UO2)SiO4]2•3(H2O) Aba2,Abam Ortho

53.03.01.08 Swamboite UH6(UO2)6(SiO4)6•30(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

53.03.01.09 Uranophane-beta Ca[(UO2)SiO3(OH)]2•(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

09.AK.20 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.A - Nesosilicates

09.AK -Uranyl neso- and polysilicates

09.AK.20 Swamboite UH6(UO2)6(SiO4)6•30(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Swamboite Information

References:

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

See Also:

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

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Ask about Swamboite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Swamboite Specimen Label here :

Swamboite

U++++++H6(UO2)6(SiO4)6•30(H2O)
Dana No: 53.03.01.08 Strunz No: 09.AK.20
Locality:

Notes: