Seaborgite, LiNa6K2(UO2)(SO4)5(SO3OH)(H2O), the First Uranyl Mineral Containing Lithium
- Mineral Sciences Department, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90007, U.S.A.; OSTI
- Section of Minerals and Earth Sciences, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, U.S.A.; † ORCID 0000-0001-5333-0802
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i., Na Slovance 1999/2, 18221 Prague 8, Czech Republic
- 5199 East Silver Oak Road, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, U.S.A.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, U.S.A.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, U.S.A.; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, U.S.A.; ‡ ORCID 0000-0002-2319-9628
Seaborgite (IMA2019-087), LiNa6K2(UO2)(SO4)5(SO3OH)(H2O), is a new mineral species from the Blue Lizard mine, Red Canyon, San Juan County, Utah, U.S.A. It is a secondary phase found on gypsum in association with copiapite, ferrinatrite, ivsite, metavoltine, and römerite. Seaborgite occurs in sprays of light-yellow, long flattened prisms or blades, up to about 0.2 mm in length. Crystals are elongated on [100], flattened on {010}, and exhibit the forms {100}, {010}, {001}, and {101}. The mineral is transparent with vitreous luster and very pale-yellow streak. It exhibits bright lime-green fluorescence under a 405 nm laser. The Mohs hardness is ~2½. The mineral has brittle tenacity, curved or conchoidal fracture, and one good cleavage on {100}. The measured density is 2.97(2) g/cm3. The mineral is immediately soluble in H2O at room temperature. The mineral is optically biaxial (–), α = 1.505(2), β = 1.522(2), γ = 1.536(2) (white light); 2Vmeas = 85(1)°; moderate r < ν dispersion; orientation X ^ a ≈ 10°; pleochroic X colorless, Y and Z light green-yellow; X < Y ≈ Z. EPMA and LA-ICP-MS analyses of seaborgite undermeasured its Li, K, and Na. The empirical formula using Li, Na, and K based on the structure refinement is Li1.00Na5.81K2.19(UO2)(SO4)5(SO3OH)(H2O). Seaborgite is triclinic, P1, a = 5.4511(4), b = 14.4870(12), c = 15.8735(15) Å, α = 76.295(5), β = 81.439(6), γ = 85.511(6)°, V = 1203.07(18) Å3, and Z = 2. The structure (R1 = 0.0377 for 1935 I = 2σI) contains [(UO2)2(SO4)8]4– uranyl-sulfate clusters that are linked into a band by bridging LiO4 tetrahedra. The bands are linked through peripheral SO4 tetrahedra forming a thick heteropolyhedral layer. Channels within the layers contain a K site, while an additional K site, six Na sites, and an SO3OH group occupy the space between the heteropolyhedral layers.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Notre Dame, IN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-07ER15880
- OSTI ID:
- 1849717
- Journal Information:
- American Mineralogist, Journal Name: American Mineralogist Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 106; ISSN 0003-004X
- Publisher:
- Mineralogical Society of America
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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