Saleeite

General
Category| Phosphate minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)| Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·10(H2O)
Strunz classification| 08.EB.05
Crystal system| Monoclinic
Space group| Monoclinic 2/m
Unit cell| a = 6.951(3) Å, b = 19.947(8) Å, c = 9.896(4) Å, β = 135.17(2)°; Z = 2
Identification
Color| Lemon-yellow, straw-yellow, greenish yellow
Crystal habit| Crystals are square plates, composite, flattened on {001}, with {001}, {100}, {120}, {012} (pseudotetragonal indices), to 2.5 cm; commonly in subparallel lamellar aggregates.
Cleavage| On {001}, perfect; on {010}, {110}, indistinct
Luster| Adamantine to waxy
Diaphaneity| Transparent to opaque
Specific gravity| 3.27
Optical properties| Biaxial (−) typically nearly uniaxial
Refractive index| nα = 1.554 – 1.559 nβ = 1.570 – 1.582 nγ = 1.571 – 1.585
Birefringence| δ = 0.027
Pleochroism| X = colorless; Z = pale greenish yellow
2V angle| 2V(meas.) = 0–61°
Ultraviolet fluorescence| Fluoresces bright lemon-yellow under LW UV, pale yellow under SW UV
Other characteristics|  Radioactive
References| [1][2][3][4]

Saleeite is a secondary uranium mineral occurring in the oxidized zones of uranium deposits, or as disseminations in carnotite-bearing sandstones. Its chemical formula is Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·10(H2O).

It was discovered in 1932 at Shinkolobwe, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is named for Belgian mineralogist Achille Salée (1883–1932), Professor at Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium. It was later determined that the Katanga mineral was meta-saleeite Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2·8(H2O) and the type locality was assigned to the Weißer Hirsch Mine, Neustädtel, Schneeberg District, Ore Mountains, Saxony, Germany.[5][2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ [1] Handbook of Mineralogy
2. ^ a b [2] Mindat.org
3. ^ [3] Saleeite Mineral Data
4. ^ [4] Uranium Minerals
5. ^ Mrose, Mary E. (1950) American Mineralogist: 35: 525 [5]

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