Thorutite Mineral Data

General Thorutite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Th,U,Ca)Ti2(O,OH)6

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 390.82 gm

Calcium 2.05 % Ca 2.87 % CaO

Thorium 23.75 % Th 27.02 % ThO₂

Uranium 24.36 % U 27.64 % UO₂

Titanium 24.50 % Ti 40.88 % TiO₂

Hydrogen 0.77 % H 6.91 % H₂O

Oxygen 24.56 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 105.32 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Th_0.4U_0.4Ca_0.2Ti₂O₃(OH)₃

Environment:

In microcline veins cutting a nephelene syenite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1958

Locality:

Somewhere in Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the composition (Thorium, rutile).

Name Pronunciation:

Thorutite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 14341

PDF 19-1351

Thorutite Image

Images:

Thorutite

Comments: Spherical aggregate of black thorutite.
Location: Brumado, Brazil. Scale: Sphere Diameter 0.25 mm.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Thorutite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.5685:1:1.8399

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.822, b = 3.824, c = 7.036, Z = 2; beta = 118.83° V = 231.51 Den(Calc)= 5.61

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.17(1), 1.695(0.85), 1.728(0.85),

Crystal Structure:

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Mitchell R H , Chakhmouradian A R , Physics and Chemistry of Minerals , 26 (1999) p.396-405, Solid solubility in the system NaLREETi2O6 - ThTi2O6, (LREE, light rare-earth elements): experimental and analytical data

Physical Properties of Thorutite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Black, Dark brown.

Density:

5.82

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Hardness:

4.5-5.5 - Near Apatite

Luster:

Resinous

Streak:

light brown

Optical Properties of Thorutite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.281 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.254 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1961,KPDmeas= 0.189,KC= 0.2629
Ncalc = 2.48 - 2.53

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=2.1.

Calculated Properties of Thorutite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.93 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Thorutite =5.61 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.03
Boson Index = 0.97

Photoelectric:

PE_Thorutite=1,201.59 barns/electron
U=PE_Thorutite x r_electron=5,926.41 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 2,271,070.74 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Thorutite per GRapi unit = 440.32 (PPB)

Thorutite 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) 13.39 ± 3.35 grams of pure Thorutite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size (10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 1339.3 ±334.83 grams of pure Thorutite .

**Estimated Radioactivity from Thorutite** - 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 / 6.98 cm	54,247,096	1.47E-03	2,271,070.74	746.65
100 gm / 3.24 cm	5,424,710	1.47E-04	227,107.07	74.67
10 gm / 1.50 cm	542,471	1.47E-05	22,710.71	7.47
1 gm / 6.98 mm	54,247	1.47E-06	2,271.07	0.75
0.1 gm / 3.24 mm	5,425	1.47E-07	227.11	0.07
0.01 gm / 1.50 mm	542	1.47E-08	22.71	0.01
0.001 gm / 0.70 mm	54	1.47E-09	2.27	0.00

Weight of pure Thorutite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.61 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

Thorutite Classification

Dana Class:

08.03.04.02 (08)Multiple Oxides with Nb, Ta, and Ti

(08.03)where A (B2O6)

(08.03.04)Dana Group

08.03.04.01 Brannerite (U,Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe)2O6 C 2/m 2/m

08.03.04.02 Thorutite (Th,U,Ca)Ti2(O,OH)6 C 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

04.DH.05 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

04.D - Metal:Oxygen = 1:2 and similar

04.DH -With large (± medium-sized) cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

04.DH.05 Brannerite (U,Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe)2O6 C 2/m 2/m

04.DH.05 Orthobrannerite UUTi4O12(OH)2 P 2₁22 2 2 2

04.DH.05 Thorutite (Th,U,Ca)Ti2(O,OH)6 C 2/m 2/m

Other Thorutite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Thorutite :
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
16 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Thorutite

(Th,U,Ca)Ti2(O,OH)6
Dana No: 08.03.04.02 Strunz No: 04.DH.05
Locality:

Notes: