Uranium

Mineral Characteristics and Classification

Group Members
Ammar Saleem Sabir Husaain

G-7
(MS-12-23448) (MS-12-24089)

Usman Ghani
Sajjad Rasool

(MS-12-22204)
(MS-12-22772)

Outline
Introduction Classification Scheme Uranium Ores in Pakistan Primary Uranium Minerals Secondary Uranium Minerals Mineral Characteristics

References
Q&As

Introduction & Classification Scheme

Ammar Saleem (MS-12-23448)

Introduction
Uranium
Silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with symbol U and atomic number 92.
Three allotropic forms: 1) (orthorhombic) stable up to 660 C 2) (tetragonal) stable from 660 C to 760 C 3) (body-centered cubic) from 760 C to melting point. The most common ionic forms are U+3 (brown-red), U+4(green),UO+2(unstable),andUO2+2 (yellow).

Introduction
Mineral?
A chemical compound Inorganic in nature Naturally occurring.

(Cont.)

Homogeneous solid
Definite set of physical properties Definite set of chemical properties Formed as a result of geological changes

Introduction
Ore?

(Cont.)

A material that contains a metal in such quantities that it can be mined and worked commercially to extract that metal.
All ores are minerals, but all minerals are not necessarily ores.

Classification Scheme
Unconformity-related deposits

IAEA Classification (1996)

Sandstone deposits Quartz-pebble conglomerate deposits Breccia complex deposits Vein deposits Intrusive deposits (Alaskites) Phosphorite deposits Collapse breccia pipe deposits

Classification Scheme

Metasomatite deposits IAEA Classification (1996) Metamorphic deposits Lignite Black shale deposits Volcanic deposits Surficial deposits

Classification Scheme
Environment of Deposition
1.Surface Processes / Synsedimentary
Surficial deposits Quartz-pebble conglomerate deposits Phosphorite deposits Lignite Black shales Diagenetic Sandstone deposits

(Cont.)

2.Diagenetic Hydrothermal
Unconformity-related deposits Vein deposits Collapse breccia pipe deposits

Classification Scheme
Environment of Deposition
3.Magmatic Hydrothermal
Breccia complex deposits Volcanic deposits Metasomatite deposits Vein deposits Intrusive deposits

(Cont.)
(Cont.)

4.Metamorphic Hydrothermal
Metamorphic deposits

Classification Scheme
Origin and Oxidation
1.Primary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)
(Cont.)

Pitchblende Davidite Brannerite

2.Secondary Uranium Minerals Autunite Gummite Carnomite

Classification Scheme
Origin and Oxidation
Primary Minerals

(Cont.)
(Cont.)
Secondary Minerals

Formed by the crystallization of magma.

Formed through progressive oxidation of primary uranium minerals.

Generally crystalline. Generally found in dark brown or black colors.

Generally amorphous. Fund in bright green or yellow

Uranium Ores in Pakistan

Uranium was discovered in May 1959 by the Geological Survey of Pakistan at Bagalchore (Bagalchur), near Dera GhaziKhan.

The ore grade at Bagalchore was initially described as ranging from 0.050.5 percent, with an average of approximately 0.15 percent uranium.

Uranium Ores in Pakistan

(Cont.)

A second uranium mine was opened at Qabul Khel in 1992, and mining of deposits at the Nanganai and Taunsa deposits (both located near Dera Ghazi Khan) started in 1996 and 2002 respectively, all using in situ leaching technology.

Some new Mines has been opend at:

The Wahi Pandi, Karunuk (Sehwan), and Rehman Dhora (Aamri) mines in the, Kirthar Range, Sindh
The Shanawah Deposit, Karak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ore grade: 0.04%Uranium mineral purity rate

Primary Uranium Minerals

Sabir Hussain (MS-12-24089)

Primary Uranium Minerals

The primary minerals are generally black to dark brown, heavy, with a shiny or pitch-like luster. These are found in Veins and Pegmatites. Pitchblende and Uraninite in sedimentary rocks are important. When they are exposed to weathering at or near the surface, they are sometimes altered to form the bright-colored secondary uranium minerals.

Primary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

with a chemical composition that is largely UO2, but also contains UO3 and oxides of lead, thorium, and rare earth elements. It is most commonly known as pitchblende (combined UO2 and U03; 50-80 percent U308,from pitch, because of its black color, and blende. Exists in Cubic or octahedral crystal form.

Uraninite is a radioactive, uranium-rich mineral and ore

Primary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Davidite Black primary pegmatite uranium. It exists in two forms

Davidite-(La) (La,Ce,Ca)(Y,U)(Ti,Fe3+)20O38 Davidite-(Ce) (Ce,La)(Y,U)(Ti,Fe3+)20O38 Davidite is deposited in hydrothermal veins. Davidite is almost never found as the "pure" mineral, but rather in complex intergrowths with ilmenite. Angular, irregular masses, sometimes crystalline, never in rounded botryoidal shapes.

Primary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Coffinite is a uranium-bearing silicate mineral with

formula: U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x. It occurs as black incrustations, dark to pale-brown in thin section. It has a grayish black streak. It has a brittle to conchoidal fracture

Primary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Brannerite Highly radioactive and interesting mineral.

Brannerite is found in the same settings as gold, including in granite pematities. It may be black, but is more often found in shades of yellow to brown to green. It forms only tiny crystals, which may be vitreous. It may fluoresce yellow under short-wave ultra-violet light.

Primary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Thucholite is a mixture of hydrocarbons, Uraninite and

some sulphides. Thucholite is a related term, name is derived from some of the possible constituents: Thorium, Uranium, and major elements Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. It has been described from unusual, relatively high-temperature environments, such as granitic pegmatites.

Secondary Uranium Minerals

Usman Ghani (MS-12-22204)

Secondary Uranium Minerals

Formed by the chemical disintegration or displacement of minerals evolved earlier.
Common in nature, especially in the surface zones of the earths crust during the processes of hypergenesis, and is also linked to changes in the physicochemical parameters of mineral formation May be formed from elements and ions derived from the primary minerals, from intrinsic host constituents, or from migrating ground-water, under varying pH conditions. Unlike the primary minerals, secondary minerals usually occur in groups rather than as one mineral.

Secondary Uranium Minerals

Name
Autunite Carnotite

(Cont.)

Chemical Formula
Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 8-12 H2O K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 x 13 H2O

Gummite Seleeite
Torbernite Tyuyamunite Uranocircite Uranophane Zeunerite

gum like mixture of various uranium minerals Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 10 H2O

Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 12 H2O Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 x 5-8 H2O Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 8-10 H2O Ca(UO2)2(HSiO4)2 x 5 H2O Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2 x 8-10 H2O

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

phosphate. It is a yellow - greenish fluorescent. Autunite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and often occurs as tabular square crystals. Due to the moderate uranium content of 48.27% it is radioactive and also used as uranium ore.

Autunite is also known as hydrated calcium uranyl

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

phosphate. It is a yellow - greenish fluorescent. Autunite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and often occurs as tabular square crystals. Due to the moderate uranium content of 48.27% it is radioactive and also used as uranium ore.

Autunite is also known as hydrated calcium uranyl

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Carnotite is a potassium uranium vanadate

radioactive mineral. Carnotite is a bright to greenish yellow mineral that occurs typically as crusts and flakes in sandstones. Amounts as low as one percent will color the sandstone a bright yellow. The high uranium content makes carnotite an important uranium ore and also radioactive.

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Gummite is a yellow amorphous mixture of

uranium minerals, oxides, silicates and hydrates of uranium, derived from the alteration of uraninite. It is named for its gum-like consistence.

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Torbernite is a radioactive, hydrated green

copper uranyl phosphate mineral, found in granites and other uranium-bearing deposits as a secondary mineral. Torbernite is isostructural with the related uranium mineral, autunite.

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Tyuyamunite is radioactive, yellow, soft,

and waxy uranium and vanadium oxide mineral. It is considered to be the calcium analogue of carnotite, from which it can be made artificially and reversibly by cation exchange

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

mineral which contains barium and is a green to yellow colour.Uranocircite contains about 45% uraniumm.

Uranocircite is a uranium phosphate

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Uranophane is a rare calcium uranium

silicate hydrate mineral that forms from the oxidation of uranium bearing minerals. Uranophane is also known as uranotile. It has a yellow color and is radioactive.

Secondary Uranium Minerals

(Cont.)

Zeunerite is a green copper uranium

arsenate mineral. It is a member of the autunite group.It occurs as a secondary mineral in the oxidized weathering zone of hydrothermal uranium ore deposits which contain arsenic.

Minerals Characteristics
Sajjad Rasool (MS-12-22772)

Minerals Characteristics
System: Luster: Transparency: Color: Streak: olive-green Hardness Hardness Tenacity: Isometric Greasy, Sub-Metallic, Dull Opaque Black, brownish-black, grayish, greenish gray Brownish black, grayish,

5 6 Mohs VHN=499 - 548 kg/mm2 Brittle Fracture: Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal Density 10.63 - 10.95 g/cm Molec. Wt 270.03gm/mol Common Impurities: Th,Zr,Pb,Ra,Ac,Po

Minerals Characteristics

(Cont.)

Formula (Y,La,Ce,Na,Ca,Pb)(Y,Fe2+)(Fe2+ ,Mn2+ ) 2(Ti,Fe3+ ,Nb,Zr) Essential elements Fe, O, Ti, Y Density 4.42 g/cm3 Transparency Opaque Luster Vitreous Mohs Hardness 6 Streak Brownish Black Magnetism Nonmagnetic Color Black, Grayish Black, Brownish Black, Dark brown, Reddish Fracture Brittle, Conchoidal Molecular weight 1861 g/gmole Habit Metamict - Mineral originally crystalline, now amorphous due to radiation damage. Pyramidal - Crystals are shaped like pyramids. Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction

Minerals Characteristics

(Cont.)

Composition: Lanthanum: 1.86 % La 2.18 % La2O3 Cerium : 5.62 % Ce 6.58 % Ce2O3 Yttrium : 3.56 % Y 4.52 % Y2O3 Uranium : 3.18 % U 3.61 % UO2 Titanium: 38.38 % Ti 64.03 % TiO2 Iron : 14.92 % Fe 21.33 % Fe2O3 Oxygen : 32.49 % O Empirical Formula: Ce0.75La0.25Y0.75U0.25Ti15Fe3+5O38 Environment: In pegmatites.

Minerals Characteristics
Cleavage: Color: Luster: Density: Transparency: Fracture:

(Cont.)

None Black, Pale brown, Dark brown. Subadamantine 5.1 gm/cm3 Sub translucent to Opaque Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals. Hardness: 5-6 Mohs- Between Apatite and Orthoclase Streak: grayish black Composition: Uranium 72.63 % U 82.40 % UO2 Silicon 7.71 % Si 16.50 % SiO2 Hydrogen 0.12 % H 01.10 % H2O Oxygen 19.53 % O

Minerals Characteristics

(Cont.)

Formula: UTi2O6 Idealized Formula UTi2O6 Luster: Vitreous, Dull Transparency: Opaque Color: Black, brownish olivegreen, yellow-brown to yellow with alteration; yellowish green in transmitted light Streak: Dark greenish brown to yellowish brown Hardness Mohs 4 - 5 Density measured 4.2 - 5.43 g/cm3

Minerals Characteristics

(Cont.)

Chemical Formula: (U,Ca,Ce)(Ti,Fe)2O6 Molecular Weight 354.80 gm Composition: Calcium 3.39 % Ca 4.74 % CaO Cerium 7.90 % Ce 9.25 % Ce2O3 Uranium 33.54 % U 38.05 % UO2 Titanium 20.24 % Ti 33.77 % TiO2 Iron 7.87 % Fe 10.12 % FeO Oxygen 27.06 % O Empirical Formula: U0.5Ca0.3Ce0.2Ti1.5Fe2+0.5O6

Minerals Characteristics

(Cont.)

Formula: Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 11H 2O Essential elements: Ca, H, O, P, U Luster: Vitreous, Pearly Transparency: Transparent, Translucent Color: Yellow, greenish-yellow, pale green; dark green, greenish black. Streak: Pale yellow Hardness Mohs 2 - 2 Cleavage: Perfect Density (measured) 3.05 - 3.2 g/cm3

Minerals Characteristics

(Cont.)

Chemical Formula: K2(UO2)2V2O8 .3(H2O) Cleavage: Perfect Color: Yellow, Golden yellow, Greenish yellow. Density: 3.7 - 4.7, Average = 4.2 gm/cm3 Fracture: Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern. Hardness: 2 Mohs Luminescence: Non-fluorescent. Luster: Pearly Magnetism: Nonmagnetic Streak: Light yellow Composition: Potassium 08.67 % K 10.44 % K2O Uranium 52.77 % U 59.86 % UO2 Vanadium 11.29 % V 20.16 % V2O5 Hydrogen 00.67 % H 5.99 % H2O Oxygen 26.60 % O

References
Uranium Legacy, in: The Workbook, Vol. VIII, No.6, Nov.-Dec. 1983, p.192-207 The Navajo People and Uranium Mining , Doug Brugge, Timothy Benally, Esther Yazzie-Lewis (Eds.), University of New Mexico Press, 2006, 230 p. Uranium: a discussion guide, published by National Film Board of Canada, Montreal, 1991, 24 p. Uranium Mining in Northern Saskatchewan - Is It Worth the Risk?, by Jamie Kneen, Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout, Oct 1992, 42 p. Uranium Mining in Australia, published by Movement Against Uranium Mining (NSW), Haymarket 1991, 16 p. Yellowcake Towns - Uranium Mining Communities in the American West, by Michael A. Amundson, 208 p., University Press of Colorado Uranium_minerals Testimonies - Lectures - Conclusions, The World Uranium Hearing Salzburg 1992, 314 p. http://preview.wolframalpha.com/entities/minerals/davidite-(La)/n5/em/bh/ http://webmineral.com/data/Coffinite.shtml http://webmineral.com/data/Brannerite.shtml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_minerals.shtml

Q & As