Liebigite
- Flutherit
- Hebergit
- Kalkurancarbonat
- Uranothallit
Liebigit is a rarely occurring mineral from the mineral class of " carbonates and nitrates " (formerly " carbonates, nitrates and borates "). It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system with the chemical composition of Ca2 [ UO2 | (CO3 ) 3] • ( 8 3) H2O and usually develops flaky or granular mineral aggregates and crusty coatings, but rarely also tabular to short prismatic crystals up to 5 mm size and yellow-green color. The crystals are transparent to translucent and point to the crystal faces a glassy luster.
Special Features
The mineral is characterized by its uranium content of highly radioactive and has a specific activity of about 58.5 kBq / g (compared to natural potassium 31 Bq / g).
Under short-and long-wave UV light Liebigit shows a blue-green fluorescence, similar to that of neon-colored highlighters.
Etymology and history
Was first found Liebigit 1848 Edirne (formerly Adrian Opel ) in Turkey and described by John Laurence Smith ( 1818-1883 ), of the mineral in honor of the German chemist Justus von Liebig and named after this.
Classification
In the now outdated but still in use 8th edition of the mineral classification by Strunz the Liebigit belonged to common mineral class of " carbonates, nitrates and borates " and then to the Department of Uranylcarbonate, where he along with Andersonit, Bayleyit, Čejkait, Fontanit, Grimselit, Metazellerit, Swartzit and Zellerit was the unnamed group V/F.02.
Since the full review of the Strunz'schen Mineral classification in the 9th edition (2001) the mineral class of carbonates ( and relatives ) is redistributed and the borates form a separate class. The Liebigit can be found according to the mineral class of " carbonates and nitrates " and there in the still -existing section of the " Uranylcarbonate ". However, this is now precisely divided by the molar ratio of uranium dioxide (UO2 ) for complex carbonate (CO3 ) which, when Liebigit is 1: 4. Liebigit forms in this subsection as the only member of the unnamed Grußße 5.ED.20.
The mostly commonly used in English-speaking classification of minerals according to Dana assigns the Liebigit as the outdated Strunz'sche systematics in the common class of " carbonates, nitrates and borates ." There the Liebigit is, however, in the department of " water -containing carbonates " and the division of the " water -containing Carbonatemit the general composition A MB2 n ( XO3 ) p • x (H2O), the ratio ( m n): p = 1: 1 and U, Th, Zr, Y, "where he is the unnamed group 15:03:02 the only member.
Education and Locations
Liebigit forms as a secondary mineral usually by weathering of uraninite in the presence of alkaline carbonate solutions. Accompanying minerals are adjacent to the uraninite other uranium minerals, such as, among others Autunit, Bayleyit, carnotite, Schröckingerit, Tyuyamunite, uranophane, uranophane - beta, but also gypsum and calcite.
A rare mineral formation Liebigit has so far (as of 2011) are detected only at a few localities, of which approximately 80 localities are known. Its type locality Edirne ( Adrian Opel ) is currently the only locality in Turkey.
In Germany Liebigit went so far including in Kirchheimer tunnel near the uranium deposit waste stream in Baden -Baden in Baden- Württemberg; at the quarry fox on the hard Koppe at Sailauf ( Hoesbach ) in quartz quarry near Altrandsberg in the community Miltach and in the shafts height stone and Wäldel uranium deposit Mähring in Bavaria; at Eisleben in Saxony -Anhalt; at several locations in snow mountain and Johann George town in Saxony and in Beerwalde / Löbichau and Schmirchau near the uranium deposit Ronneburg in Thuringia.
In Austria, the mineral of the Malta power plants in Carinthia and the tunnel, in the Anlauftal, the Kurcasinos at Bad Gastein and the tunnel Bockhart could be found at Siglitz in Gastein in Salzburg, among others, in the excavated material of the memory Kölnbrein.
Other localities lie including Australia, China, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary, the United Kingdom ( UK ) and the United States of America (USA).
Crystal structure
Liebigit crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group BBA2 with the lattice parameters a = 16.70 Å; b = 17.56 Å; c = 13.70 Å, and eight formula units per unit cell.
Safety
( 238U as a main component in particular α - radiation ) as uranium mineral sends Liebigit ionizing radiation. The recorded when handling the mineral amount of radiation depends strongly on the size of the mineral sample as well as the distance and protection. You reached at smaller sample (a few centimeters in diameter ), which are held in the hand, within minutes of the order, which should be included maximum per year. When handling is therefore to ensure adequate radiation protection. To prevent incorporation ( uptake into the body ), is thorough hand washing after handling with bare hands is recommended.