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An XRD, SEM and TG study of a uranopilite from Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

R.L. Frost ,
M.L. Weier ,
G.A. Ayoko ,
W. Martens  and
J. Čejka
R.L. Frost*
Affiliation:
Inorganic Materials Research Program, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
M.L. Weier
Affiliation:
Inorganic Materials Research Program, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
G.A. Ayoko
Affiliation:
Inorganic Materials Research Program, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
W. Martens
Affiliation:
Inorganic Materials Research Program, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
J. Čejka
Affiliation:
National Museum, Václavské náměstí 68, CZ-115 79 Praha 1, Czech Republic
*
*E-mail: r.frost@qut.edu.au
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Abstract

A uranopilite from The South Alligator River, Northern Territory, Australia, has been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDAX attachment, and thermogravimetry in conjunction with evolved gas mass spectrometry. The XRD shows that the mineral is a pure uranopilite with few if any impurities. The SEM images show that the uranopilite consists of elongated crystals, up to 50μm long and 5 μm wide. Thermogravimetry combined with mass spectrometry shows that dehydration occurs at ∼31°C resulting in the formation of metauranopilite. The first dehydration step over 20–71°C corresponds to a decrease of 5.4 wt.%, equivalent to 6.076 H2O. The second dehydration step, over the temperature range 71 –162.4°C corresponds to a decrease of 4.7 wt.%, equivalent to 5.288 H2O, making a total of 11.364 moles of H2O, close to 12 H2O for uranopilite.

Dehydroxylation takes place over the temperature range 80–160°C. The loss of sulphate occurs at higher temperatures in two steps at 622 and 636°C. A mass loss also occurs at 755°C, accounted for by evolved oxygen.

Keywords

uranopilitejohannitezippeiteuranyl sulphate mineralsdehydroxylationdehydrationinfrared spectroscopyRaman spectroscopy
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 70 , Issue 3 , June 2006 , pp. 299 - 307
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2006

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