Coffinite Mineral Data (original) (raw)

General Coffinite Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula:

U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x

Help on Composition: Composition:

Molecular Weight = 327.71 gm

Uranium 72.63 % U 82.40 % UO2

Silicon 7.71 % Si 16.50 % SiO2

Hydrogen 0.12 % H 1.10 % H2O

Oxygen 19.53 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula:

U(SiO4)0.9(OH)0.4

Help on Environment: Environment:

In Colorado Plateau-type black unoxidized U-V deposits, replacing organic material in sandstone.

Help on IMA Status: IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1956

Help on Locality: Locality:

La Sal No. 2 mine, Beaver Mesa, Gateway district, Mesa County, New Mexico, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Help on Name Origin: Name Origin:

Named for Reuben Clare Coffin (1886-1972), Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, pioneer geologist in the study of uranium deposits of the Colorado Plateau.

Help on Synonym: Synonym:

ICSD 15484

PDF 11-420

Coffinite Image

Click Here for Larger Coffinite Image in a New Browser Window Images:

Click Here for Larger Coffinite Image Coffinite Comments: Black, interstitial coffinite cementing a sub-angular quartzose sandstone. Schumacher Collection. Location: Temple Mountain, San Rafael District (San Rafael Swell), Emery Co., Utah, USA.Scale: Picture size 5 mm. © Paul M. Schumacher

Coffinite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.90187

Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.93, c = 6.25, Z = 3; V = 300.16 Den(Calc)= 5.44

Help on Crystal System: Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: I 41/amd

Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/Io): 3.47(1), 4.66(1), 2.64(0.7),

Click Here for Large Coffinite Structure Window Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

| | Fuchs L H , Gebert E , American Mineralogist , 43 (1958) p.243-248, X-ray studies of synthetic coffinite, thorite and uranothorites | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

Physical Properties of Coffinite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage:

None

Help on Color: Color:

Black, Pale brown, Dark brown.

Help on Density: Density:

5.1

Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity:

Subtranslucent to Opaque

Help on Fracture: Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Help on Hardness: Hardness:

5-6 - Between Apatite and Orthoclase

Help on Luster: Luster:

Subadamantine

Help on Streak: Streak:

grayish black

Optical Properties of Coffinite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.205 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.129 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.136,KPDmeas= 0.1451,KC= 0.1205
Ncalc = 1.61 - 1.66

Help on Optical Data: Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+/-), a=1.73-1.75, b=1.73-1.75, bire=0.0000.

Calculated Properties of Coffinite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.55 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Coffinite =5.44 gm/cc.

Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0089257303
Boson Index = 0.9910742697

Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric:

PECoffinite =1,971.22 barns/electron
U=PECoffinite x relectron=8,965.99 barns/cc.

Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity:

GRapi = 5,176,587.32 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Coffinite per GRapi unit = 193.18 (PPB)

Coffinite 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) 5.88 ± 1.47 grams of pure Coffinite .
Estimated Maximum U.S. Postal Shipping Size(10 mRem/hr limit, Unshielded 100 cm box) 587.58 ±146.90 grams of pure Coffinite .

Estimated Radioactivity from Coffinite - very strong

SpecimenSizeWeight/Volume(Sphere) * CalculatedActivityBecquerels(Bq) CalculatedActivityCuries (Ci) EstimatedActivityGR(api) EstimatedExposure(mRem**)/hrIf Held in HandFor One Hour
1000 gm / 7.05 cm 130,016,209 3.51E-03 5,176,587.32 1,701.89
100 gm / 3.27 cm 13,001,621 3.51E-04 517,658.73 170.19
10 gm / 1.52 cm 1,300,162 3.51E-05 51,765.87 17.02
1 gm / 7.05 mm 130,016 3.51E-06 5,176.59 1.70
0.1 gm / 3.27 mm 13,002 3.51E-07 517.66 0.17
0.01 gm / 1.52 mm 1,300 3.51E-08 51.77 0.02
0.001 gm / 0.71 mm 130 3.51E-09 5.18 0.00

Weight of pure Coffinite in grams (gm) and Calculated Diameter of a Sphere with a Density of 5.44 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

Coffinite Classification

Help on Dana Class: Dana Class:

51.05.02.04 (51)Nesosilicate Insular SiO4 Groups Only

(51.05)with cations in >[6] coordination

(51.05.02)Zircon group

51.05.02.01 Zircon ZrSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.05.02.02 Hafnon HfSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.05.02.03 Thorite ThSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.05.02.04 Coffinite U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.05.02.05 Thorogummite Th(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

51.05.02.06 IMA2008-035! CeSiO4 I 41/amd 4mm

Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class:

09.AD.30 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.A - Nesosilicates

09.AD -Nesosilicates without additional anions;

09.AD.30 Coffinite U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

09.AD.30 Hafnon HfSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

09.AD.30 Thorite ThSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

09.AD.30 Thorogummite Th(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

09.AD.30 Zircon ZrSiO4 I 41/amd 4/m 2/m 2/m

09.AD.30 IMA2008-035! CeSiO4 I 41/amd 4mm

Other Coffinite Information

Help on References: References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic2) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

Help on See Also: See Also:

Links to other databases for Coffinite :
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 - University of Colorado - Mineral Structure Data
16 - Uranium Minerals
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Coffinite

U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x
Dana No: 51.05.02.04 Strunz No: 09.AD.30
Locality:

Notes: