Identification and Occurrence 

of Uranium and Vanadium 

Minerals From the 

Colorado Plateaus

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1009-B

IDENTIFICATION AND OCCURRENCE OF URANIUM 

AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM THE COLORADO 

PLATEAUS

By A. D. WEEKS and M. E. THOMPSON

ABSTRACT

This report, designed to make available to field geologists and others information obtained in recent investigations by the Geological Survey on identification 

and occurrence of uranium minerals of the Colorado Plateaus, contains descriptions of the physical properties, X-ray data, and in some instances results of chemical and spectrographic analysis of 48 uranium and vanadium minerals. Also 

included is a list of locations of mines from which the minerals have been identified.

INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The 48 uranium and vanadium minerals described in this report 

are those studied by the writers and their colleagues during recent 

mineralogic investigation of uranium ores from the Colorado Plateaus. 

This work is part of a program undertaken by the Geological Survey 

on behalf of the Division of Raw Materials of the U. S. Atomic Energy 

Commission.

Thanks are due many members of the Geological Survey who have 

worked on one or more phases of the study, including chemical, spectrographic, and X-ray examination,' as well as collecting of samples. 

The names of these Survey members are given in the text where the 

contribution of each is noted. The writers are grateful to George 

Switzer of the U. S. National Museum and to Clifford Frondel of 

Harvard University who kindly lent type mineral specimens and discussed various problems.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to make available to field geologists 

and others who do not have extensive laboratory facilities, information 

obtained in recent investigations by the Geological Survey on the 

identification and occurrence of the uranium and vanadium minerals 

of ores from the plateaus. Distinctive properties of each mineral are 

listed to encourage and facilitate identification by optical or chemical 

tests. A combination of data from X-ray powder patterns and spectrographic analyses is required to identify certain minerals, especially 

if the quantity of mineral is very small, but for many minerals these 

techniques are not necessary. The reader is also referred to other

13
14 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

compilations: Gruner and Gardiner's * "Tables of uranium and vanadium minerals" (1950) and "Mineral associations in the uranium 

deposits of the Colorado Plateau" (1952).

MINERAL DATA

The minerals include several new species and many that were rare 

and incompletely (or inaccurately) described before the recent intensive search for uranium. The data for each mineral include the 

best available formula, in general from "A glossary of uranium- and 

thorium-bearing minerals" (Frondel and Fleischer, 1952), and crystallography and physical properties from Dana's "System of mineralogy," 7th edition, and from "Mineralogy of uranium and thorium 

minerals" (George, 1949). For minerals showing a considerable 

range of properties, selection has been made to emphasize those properties noted by the writers in specimens from the Colorado Plateaus.

CRYSTALLOGRAPHY

Crystallographic data are reduced to a minimum because such 

would be used rarely by the field geologist. An exception is crystal 

habit, such as the platy habit of the torbernite group and bladed or 

fibrous habit of uranophane. The habits of these commonly finegrained minerals may be observed with a binocular microscope. 

Chiefly to establish the particular material that is referred to under 

each species, the d-spacing in Angstrom units is given for several 

strong lines of the X-ray diffraction powder pattern taken with CuKa 

radiation. The relative intensity of the lines is indicated by the abbreviations: VS very strong, S strong, M medium, and W weak. 

The X-ray photographs were taken by E. A. Cisney, and M. E. 

Thompson.

PHYSICAL, AND OPTICAL, PROPERTIES

Kelatively few of the uranium and vanadium minerals are too fine 

grained, too high in refractive index, or too dark for determination of 

some optical properties. Certain minerals, notably the torbernite 

group and tke carnotite group, dehydrate easily with resultant rise in 

refractive indices; identification of minerals in these groups by optical 

properties must be made with considerable care. Table 1 gives the 

optical properties of uranium minerals.

So many yellow and greenish-yellow uranium minerals, as well as 

a few yellow and greenish-yellow vanadium and copper minerals,

occur on the plateaus tnat color is not a dependable means of identification unless combined with other properties, The color of fluorescence noted here is for minerals observed under ultraviolet light

i Gruner, J. W., and Gardiner, Lynn, 1950, Tables of uranium and vanadium minerals which are largely 

of secondary origin (duplicated) '
MINERAL DATA 15

(2537 A) and may differ considerably from the color or degree of 

fluorescence observed at 3650 A.

ANALYSIS

For the new and some of the doubtful species, chemical analyses 

made by A. M. Sherwood and R. G. Milkey are given. For other 

species spectrographic analyses used as an aid in identification are 

given and these are not necessarily of pure material. These are by 

C. L. Waring, H. W. Worthing, C. S. Annell, J. N. Stich, and K. E. 

Valentine. Semiquantitative spectrographic analyses (Waring and 

Annell, 1953) made on 10 mg of sample are given for constituents in 

the following percent ranges: more than 10, 1 to 10, 0.1 to 1, 0.01 to 

0.1, and 0.001 to 0.01. Qualitative spectrographic analyses (Stich, 

1953), made of 1 mg of sample, list the constituent elements as major 

(more than 10 percent), minor (about 1 to 10 percent), and trace 

(less than 1 percent).

OCCURRENCE

This study notes the primary or secondary nature of each mineral 

and whether it is found as impregnation, replacement, or coating on 

fractures and mine walls. The commonly associated minerals are 

listed. Only for a few rare minerals is the name of the person who 

collected the samples given. Most of the samples were collected by 

L. B. Riley, L. R. Stieff, T. W. Stern, and the writers; a smaller 

number by W. I. Finch, A. F. Trites and other Survey geologists, 

AEC geologists, and by mine operators.

Identification is based on the writers' experience. Until the writers 

had positively identified the mineral species of the Colorado Plateaus 

and become familiar with their properties, they relied heavily on 

X-ray powder patterns and spectrographic analyses. Minerals that 

are fine grained, in thin coatings, or admixed with other minerals, 

as are many from the plateaus, can be identified satisfactorily in the 

laboratory by use of a small amount of hand-picked or otherwise 

purified material. In this report emphasis is placed on simple physical 

or chemical tests to distinguish as many minerals as possible.

TEST FOR URANIUM

A satisfactory test for uranium is to make a bead test with a small 

loop of platinum wire and a flux composed of 45.5 percent by weight 

of Na2C03 , 45.5 percent by weight of K2C03 , and 9 percent by weight 

of NaF and observing with a long wavelength (3650 A) ultraviolet 

light the fluorescence caused by uranium (Grimaldi, May, and
16 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Fletcher, 1952). The test is more easily made with a small platinum 

pan, such as the lid of a platinum crucible. The flux should be melted 

and the blank tested with the ultraviolet light before the mineral 

grains are added and the flux remelted for the final test. With a little 

practice one can distinguish between the bright fluorescence of a 

uranium mineral and the faint fluorescence of slightly uraniferous 

material such as uraniferous opal. If a positive test is obtained, the 

platinum wire or pan should be washed in hydrochloric acid before 

making another test.

The test described above may be modified by using a flux composed 

of 9 parts of household baking soda and 1 part of sodium fluoride (as 

sold by drug stores for ant poison) and ordinary iron wire, In this 

case the flux should be fused only a short time to avoid adding iron 

that causes quenching of the uranium fluorescence. Although a 

wavelength of 3650 A is best for accurate laboratory work, almost 

any battery-operated ultraviolet light suitable for prospecting may be 

used in this field test.

TEST FOR VANADIUM

To test for vanadium, dissolve a small part of the mineral or ore in 

aqua regia, evaporate to dryness, add as much water as original acid, 

and then add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. If vanadium is 

present the solution will turn orange-red. Carnotite or tyuyamunite 

turns red-brown when a drop of concentrated hydrochloric acid is 

added, but this test is not always satisfactory for roscoelite ore.

TEST FOR VANADATES

The following suggestions for distinguishing between the many 

yellow and greenish-yellow, radioactive minerals of the Colorado 

Plateaus may help the inexperienced worker make the most effective 

use of a small amount of material. One should be able to limit the 

possibilities to a small group of related minerals or, in some cases, make 

a complete identification. With the aid of a binocular microscope

and a bright light, hand-pick several grains tkat appear to be a

sWle species of mineral, Note the habit, color, fluorescence, and 

any other distinctive properties of the mineral. Simple chemical 

tests made of single mineral grains on a glass slide on the stage of a 

binOClllar microscope will place the mineral in one of the groups

noted below. Optical properties or other characteristics may then be

used for more specific identification. When the identification is 

somewhat narrowed down, one should refer to the complete description 

of minerals in the tables.

Add a drop of concentrated HC1 (from a small drop-bottle) to the 

mineral grain on the glass slide. If the mineral turns red-brown it is a 

vanadate probably carnotite or tyuyamunite. This reaction is 

-immediate and the red-brown color will disappear quickly as the
MINERAL DATA 17

mineral dissolves. Place another grain in an immersion liquid of 

index 1.86.

1. If the mineral has two indices much higher than that of the liquid, 

it is probably carnotite.

2. If the mineral has indices nearly equal or lower than that of the 

liquid, it is probably tyuyamunite.

TEST FOR CARBONATES

If the mineral effervesces in dilute HC1, it is a carbonate. Watch 

the reaction under the binocular as the acid is added because the carbonates dissolve readily. Take care that no calcite impurity is present. The uranyl carbonates are all water-soluble and fluorescent (in 

varying degree) and have the lowest indices of refraction of any group 

of uranium minerals. To distinguish among the members of this 

group, begin by comparing the index of the unknown mineral with 

index liquid of 1.50.

1. If the highest index of the mineral is close to 1.50, the mineral 

may be bayleyite.

2. If the lowest index of the mineral is close to 1.50, the mineral 

may be either liebigite or rabbittite.

3. If the indices of the mineral are higher than 1.50, the mineral 

may be andersonite.

4. If one index of the mineral is above and one below 1.50, the 

mineral may be either swartzite or schroeckingerite.

TEST FOR SULFATES

Dissolve the mineral in dilute HC1, and place a drop of barium 

chloride solution on the glass plate beside the dissolved mineral. With 

the aid of the binocular, watch for a reaction as the barium chloride 

flows into the acid. If a white precipitate forms, the mineral is 

probably a siilfate. Take care to avoid gypsum impurity which will 

also give a sulfate test. Note that schroeckingerite is a carbonate 

sulfate and will react to both tests. The uranyl sulfates johannite, 

uranopilite, and zippeite may be distinguished by optical and other 

properties. Place a grain of the sulfate mineralin a liquid of index 

1.63.

1. If the mineral has indices lower than 1.63, and is green and 

nonfluorescent, it is probably johannite.

2. If the mineral has indices close to 1.63, fluoresces brightly, and 

has low birefringence, it is probably uranopilite.

3. If the mineral has indices much higher than 1.63 and has high 

birefringence, it is probably zippeite (fluorescence variable).

TEST FOR SIM.CATE8, OXIDES, PHOSPHATES, AND ARSENATES

If the mineral does not react positively to the vanadate, carbonate, 

or sulfate test, one can probably identify it by means of optical tests

294667 54 2
18

as a member of the silicate, oxide, phosphate, or arsenate group. 

Optical tests of these minerals require less sample than further chemical tests, but they may not give a complete identification. Most of 

the minerals in these groups are soluble in HC1. Place a grain of 

the mineral in a liquid of index 1.67.

1. If the mineral has one index close to 1.67 and has acicular or 

prismatic habit, it may be one of the silicates: uranophane, betauranophane, or cuprosklodowskifce.

2. If the mineral has indices well above 1.67, it may be one of the 

hydrated oxides: schoepite or becquerelite.

3. If the mineral has indices lower than 1.67 and occurs in square 

plates, it is probably a phosphate or arsenate. All of the phosphates 

and arsenates, except phosphuranylite and several rare lead phosphates not yet found on the Colorado Plateaus, have indices well 

below 1.67. Optical tests do not distinguish satisfactorily between 

the members of these groups because of the range of indices due to 

variable water content. Most of the members are yellow and fluorescent except metatorbernite and metazeunerite, which are green 

and commonly nonfluorescent. If a positive identification within the 

phosphate and arsenate groups is wanted, laboratory study by X-ray 

and spectrographic analysis is the most dependable means of 

identification.

LOCALITIES

Localities are listed by mine name and the mining district, as shown 

on a map by Shoemaker and Luedke. 2 Most mine names are those 

in use when samples were collected in the summer of 1952, but some

are as recorded with samples collected in 1950, 1951, and 1953. To 

help the reader who is not familiar with the mining districts an alphabetical list of mine and mining district names is given in table 2; also

the county and state in which each is situated. The number of localities is restricted to those from which specimens have been identified

by the authors and to the type localities of minerals described from

tKe Colorado Plateaus. In addition, a few minerals from the sandstone-type uranium deposits at Pumpkin Buttes, Wyo., and Fall 

River County, S, Dak., have been included.

Ore from the Colorado Plateaus may be classified on the basis of

whether uranium is associated with vanadium. The nonvanadiferous

ore contains traces of several metals and possibly as much as 1 percent 

of copper in some places. The two main types may be subdivided 

into highly oxidized or relatively unoxidized ore. Mmeralogically the

2 Shoemaker, E. M., and Luedke, R. Q., 1952, Map of the uranium region of the Colorado Plateau: U. 8. 

Geol. Survey Trace-Elements Inv. Kept. 279.
MINERAL ASSOCIATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION OF TYPES OF ORE 19

types differ greatly because the affinity of vanadium for uranium 

tends to make carnotite or tyuyamunite the chief uranium mineral in 

oxidized vanadiferous ore, whereas many uranium minerals are formed 

in the oxidation of the nonvanadiferous ore.

OXIDIZED VANADIUM-URANIUM ORE (CARNOTITE)

For many years the chief ore mined on the Colorado Plateaus was 

oxidized vanadium-uranium ore from the western Colorado-eastern 

Utah area, now known as the Uravan mineral belt, and from Temple 

Mountain on the east side of, the San Rafael swell in Utah. The 

most abundant uranium mineral was carnotite. The ore also contained a smaller amount of tyuyamunite and very little rauvite and 

uvanite. The most abundant vanadium minerals (aside from the 

uranyl vanadates) were vanadium hydromica and roscoelite or either, 

and corvusite, with local concentration of hewettite and metahewettite 

and small amounts of other secondary quinquivalent vanadium 

minerals: pascoite, hummerite, rossite, metarossite, steigerite, navajoite, fervanite, and the sodium analogue of hewettite. Many of the 

vanadate minerals fill fractures or coat joint surfaces and mine walls.

Many of these minerals have been found in mines recently developed 

in Monument Valley, Ariz. In the Shiprock district of Arizona and 

New Mexico, and along the north side of the Zuni uplift, N. Mex., 

tyuyamunite and metatyuyamunite are more abundant than carnotite. 

Several other uranium minerals found in small amounts in carnotite 

ore include schroeckingerite, meta-autunite, metazeunerite, uranophane, and novacekite. Locally, where both copper and vanadium 

are present, small quantities of volborthite and calciovolborthite 

occur as at Richardson Basin, Moab district, Utah, and in the Slick 

Rock district, Colo.

Placerville and Rifle, Colo., two areas that produced chiefly vana- 

'dium with relatively little uranium, have not been given detailed 

mineralogic study.

The vanadium-to-uranium ratio of the ores ranges from a high 

ratio of about 30:1 at Placerville and Rifle through lower values in the 

Uravan mineral belt, Colorado-Utah, the Shiprock district, ArizonaNew Mexico, Monument Valley, Ariz., and the Grants district on the 

north side of the Zuni uplift, N. Mex., to a ratio of about 1:1 at 

Temple Mountain in the San Rafael district, Utah. Some differences 

in relative abundance of minerals in the several areas are due to the 

variation in V:U ratio. Other differences are due to local conditions, 

such as the high calcium content of the sediments in the Shiprock and 

Grants districts, which causes local predominance of tyuyamunite. 

In the Uravan belt the predominance of carnotite seems to be coincident with the area of the Pennsylvanian evaporite basin and may be 

related to the presence of potassium salts in the Paradox member of
20 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

the Hermosa formation. Presence of fossil bone may favor local 

development of autunite. 'Relative abundance of sodium in the 

Thompsons district accounts for schroeckingerite, andersonite, sodium 

vanadate, and a salt crust of thenardite. In the Grants district the 

fluorite associated with ore may be related to fluorite deposits in the 

center of the Zuni uplift.

UNOXIDIZED VANADIUM-URANIUM QBE

In the early days of uranium mining on the Colorado Plateaus, small 

concentrations of black minerals included in the carnotite ore were 

called corvusite-vanoxite ore and commonly thought to be composed 

of vanadium oxides.

Recently, as many new mines have been opened, much more black 

ore high in uranium, as well as in vanadium, has been found wherever 

ore bodies are protected from oxidation by a thick or impervious cover, 

as in the deeper ore bodies in the Long Park area of the Uravan district, or where ore has been exposed very recently by headward erosion 

of steep canyons, as in Lumsden Canyon, Gateway district, or La Sal 

Creek, Paradox district. Some mines such as Mi Vida mine, Monticello district, or Virgin mine, Uravan district, have chiefly black ore 

with very little secondary alteration, and others like Monument No. 2 

mine in Monument Valley district, have scattered unoxidized remnants 

in ore that is chiefly oxidized.

Since 1950 mineralogic study has shown the presence of several 

important primary uranium and vanadium minerals. The black 

uranium minerals are pitchblende 3 (identified in 12 mines of uraniumvanadium ore) and a new uranium mineral (identified in 10 mines of 

uranium-vanadium ore). The new mineral was found in 1951 by 

L. R. Stieff and T. W. Stern (report in preparation). The lowvalence vanadium minerals are montroseite and at least two other 

new vanadium oxides found by T. W. Stern (report in preparation). 

Both uranium and vanadium minerals are associated with pyrite, 

commonly with high-rank coalified wood, and traces of copper, lead, 

cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, and silver. Also present and probably

representing a transition to tne oxidized ore are melanovanaaite, 

corvusite, and probably fernandinite.

The ore at Temple Mountain in the eastern part of the San Rafael 

district has been commonly referred to as asphaltite ore because of

the presence of asphaltic and other carbonaceous material. However, 

higher-than-average carbon content does not prevent classifying this

ore on the basis of mineral assemblage with the other uraniumvanadium ores. The relatively unoxidized portion of the ore contains 

pitchblende associated with a hard carbonaceous substance variously

3 The term "pitchblende" is used as in Dana, 7th ed., v. 1, p. 613-614, for a massive variety of uraninite 

with specific gravity lower than 8.5 and thorium absent or less than 1 percent.
MINERAL ASSOCIATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION OF TYPES OF ORE 21

described as high-rank coal or polymerized petroleum residue (thucholite?); also present are pyrite and very small amounts of montroseite 

and galena.

OXIDIZED NONVANADIFEROUS URANIUM ORES

In contrast to the carnotite ore, the nonvanadiferous uranium ores 

are characterized by a wide variety of secondary uranium minerals 

that include hydrated oxides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, 

arsenates, and silicates. Most of these uranium minerals are yellow, 

orange, greenish yellow, or green, and micro crystalline or massive. 

They fill minute fractures in sandstone, conglomerate, or fossil wood, 

and coat joint surfaces and mine walls. In small ore pockets or even 

in small mines one of these minerals may be abundant, but among 

them no mineral is as predominant as carnotite is in the oxidized 

vanadium-uranium ore. In studies to date, the uranium sulfates seem 

the most abundant.

Copper, the chief associated metal in some of the nonvanadiferous 

ore, occurs in many secondary minerals, commonly as malachite, 

azurite, chalcanthite, antlerite, brochantite, and chrysocolla, and 

rarely as conichalcite, chalcoalumite, and volborthite. Other metals 

are present and differ in abundance from one mine to another: iron 

and manganese in limonite and wad, cobalt in bieberite (commonly 

dehydrated), sphaerocobaltite, erythrite, or cobaltoan pickeringite, 

molybdenum in ilsemannite or ferrimolybdite, and traces of lead, 

zinc, nickel, and silver.

Outcrops of these deposits or joint surfaces within a few-inches of 

the cliff face commonly show bright-blue and green copper stain, 

bright-yellow uranium sulfates or carbonates, pink cobalt efflorescences 

dull-yellow jarosite, white alunite and, in a few places, fluorescent 

uraniferous opal and allophane. Clay lenses in the ore or nearby are 

bleached and altered to kaolinite, jarosite, alunite, or gibbsite.

UNOXIDIZED NONVANADIFEROUS ORE

Since 1949 relatively unoxidized nonvanadiferous uranium ore has 

been found at a number of places in the west-central part of the 

Monument uplift, now called the White Canyon mining district, and 

in scattered localities in the Green River, San Rafael, and Henry 

Mountains mining districts. The new black uranium mineral has 

been identified at 1 mine and pitchblende at 13 mines in nonvanadiferous ore (in addition to the 12 localities of pitchblende and 10 of 

the new mineral in vanadiferous ore). As in the case of the black 

vanadium-uranium ore, some mines have chiefly unoxidized ore and 

others have unoxidized remnants in ore that is fairly well oxidized.

The best development of relatively unoxidized nonvanadiferous ore 

is the pitchblende-copper sulfide deposit in which the Happy Jack
22 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS PROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

mine is located at White Canyon, Utah. The ore contains both sooty 

pitchblende and massive pitchblende that is so pure and of such high 

specific gravity- (9.0) as to justify calling it uraninite. Some of the 

pitchblende replaces fossil wood and some, in tabular masses, does 

not show wood structure. It is closely associated with chalcopyrite, 

pyrite, bornite, chalcocite, sphalerite, and galena, and traces of 

cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, and silver. The abundance of secondary uranium sulfates as efflorescences on the mine walls shows the 

close relation between pitchblende and the sulfides.

Many mines have less copper associated with the pitchblende than 

there is at the Happy Jack mine. Although traces of molybdenum 

and cobalt are common in the uranium ore, no large amount of these 

metals has been found in any of the mines of the Colorado Plateaus. 

Many small copper deposits known for years as the Red Beds Copper 

deposits contain little or no uranium.

URANIUM MINERALS

The uranium minerals described in the following pages are those 

that the authors have studied from the Colorado Plateaus. One 

species, uvanite, exists only in the type specimen in the U. S. National 

Museum and no new localities have been found.

Classified according to chemical composition the described minerals 

are:

Oxides:

Uraninite and pitchblende UO2

Becquerelite 2U03 -3H2 0

Fourmarierite PbTJ4 Oi3 -7H2 0

Gummite, amorphous hydrated U oxide 

Carbonates:

Schroeckingerite NaCa3 (UO2 ) (CO3) 3 (SO4)F- 10H2 O

Bayleyite Mg2 (UO2)(CO3) 3 -18H2O 

Andersonite Na2Ca(U02)(C03)3-6H2 0 

Liebigite Ca2U(C03) 4 -10H2 0 (?) 

Rabbittite Ca3 Mg3 (U02) 2 (C03) 8 (OH) 4. 18H2 0

Sulfates:

TJranopilite (UO2) B (SO.) (OH) 10 -12H2O 

Johannite Cu(UO2) 2 (SO4 ) 2 (OH) 2 -6H2 O

Zippeite (U02) 2 (S(X)(OH) 2 4H20

Phosphates:

Autunite Ca(U02)2(P04)2-10-12H2 0

Meta-autunite I Ca(UO2) 2 (PO4 ) 2 -2K-6KH2O

Bassetite Fe(U02MP04)2-8H20

Torbernite Cu(UO2 ) 2 (PO4 ) 2 -8-12H2 O 

Metatorbernite Cu(UO2 )2(PO4)2-8H2O

Phosphuranylite Ca(U02) 7 (P04) 4 (OH) 4 -10H20 (?)

Arsenates:

Metazeunerite Cu(U02) 2 (As04 ) 2 -8H2 0 

Novacekite Mg (U02) 2 (As04) 2 8- 10H2 0
URANIUM MINERALS 23

Vanadates:

Carnotite K2 (U02) 2 (V04 ) 2 -1-3H2 0 

Metatyuyamunite Ca(U02) 2 (V04 ) 2 -5-7 H2 0 

Tyuyamunite Ca(UOj)a(V04)j-7-10# H2 0

Rauvite CaO2U03 -5V205 -16H2 0 (?)!,, , , . TT -A OTT/-\ o\r r\ 1 PTT r\ /o\ r closely related Uvanite 2U03 -3V2 05 -15H2 0 (?) j J

Silicates:

Beta-uranophane Ca(U02)2Si2 07-6H2 0

Uranophane Ca(U02 ) 2Si2O7 -6H2O

Cuprosklodowskite Cu(U02) 2 Si2 07 -6H2 0 

New mineral of uncertain formula:

Black U-mineral having X-ray pattern like thorite.

Uranium-bearing materials are organic material, opal, allophane, 

limonite, and wad. Additional minerals from the Colorado Plateaus 

noted in Atomic Energy Commission reports are schoepite UOa'2H20, 

sabugalite HAl(U02 ) 4 (P04 ) 4-16H20, and sklodowskite Mg(U02 ) 2 - 

Si2 07 -7H20 (Gruner .and Gardiner, 1952). Three new uranium 

carbonates, swartzite CaMg(U02 ) (003)3-12H20, andersonite, and 

bayleyite were described from the Hillside mine, Yavapai County, 

Ariz., (Axelrod, Grimaldi, Milton and Murata, 1951). A second 

occurrence of bayleyite has been found in a copper-uranium deposit 

in White Canyon district, Utah (Stern and Weeks, 1952) and of 

andersonite in the Yellow Cat group, Thompsons district, Utah, in 

1953. Soddyite (U02 ) 5 (Si03 )2 (OHV3H20, is known to occur also in 

Yavapai County, Ariz. (R. Berman, personal communication). Other 

minerals that may be found in the Colorado Plateaus deposits include 

uranocircite Ba(U02 )2 (PO4 )2 -8H2O, uranospinite Ca(U02 ) 2 (As04) 2 -8- 

12H20, sateeite Mg(U02 )2 (P04 ) 2 -8-10H20, and sengierite Cu(U02 ) 

(V04 )(OHH-5H20 (?).

Several yellow uranium minerals from the Colorado Plateaus are 

still unidentified and some of these are probably new minerals. 

Work on these is in progress.

ANDERSONITE

NaaCa(UOj)(C03) 3 -6HaO

Crystal system: Hexagonal rhombohedral.

Habit: Pseudocubic crystals, as thin granular coating.

Physical properties:

Color: Bright green.

Fluorescence: Bright green.

Luster:

Cleavage:

Hardness:

Specific gravity: 2.8

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 13.0, S 7.97, S 5.68, S 5.22.
24 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Optical properties:

n DICHROISM

0 I. 520 Colorless Uniaxial positive 

E 1. 540 Pale yellow

Analysis: Of synthetic material (Axelrod, Grimaldi, Milton and 

Murata, 1951). Analyst, M. Eiland:

Na2O CaO UO3 CO2 H2O Total 

9. 61 8. 80 44. 27 20. 61 16. 50 99. 79

Occurrence and associated minerals: Water-soluble secondary mineral 

occurring as efflorescence on mine wall with . schroeckingerite, 

gypsum, bayleyite, and swartzite at Hillside mine (type locality). 

Also efflorescence on mine wall at Skinny No. 1 mine.

Identification: Soluble in water. Effervesces in HC1. Optically 

distinct.

Localities:

Type locality at Hillside mine, Yavapai County, Ariz. 

Skinny No. 1 mine, Thompsons district.

AUTUNITE and META-AUTUNITE I

Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2-10-12H2O 

(Meta-autunite I has 2^-

Crystal system: Tetragonal; ditetragonal-dipyramidal 4/m 2/m 2/m. 

Habit: Thin tabular (001 }. As foliated or scaly aggregates. 

Physical properties:

Color: Ranges from lemon yellow to pale green. Streak yellowish. 

Fluorescence: Strong yellow-green. Meta-autunite less strong. 

Luster: Vitreous, pearly on {001}. 

Cleavage: {001) perfect, {100} indistinct. Not brittle.

Hardness: 2 1%.

Specific gravity: 3.1 3.2, varying with the water content.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 8.3, S 3.59, W 1.60 (Metaautunite I).

Optical properties: 

ORIENTATION n PLEOCHKOISM

X =c 1.553-? Colorless to pale yel- Anomalously biaxial negalow. tive due to loosely held

Y 1.575-1.59 YellOW tO dark yel- water in both autunite and

low. meta-autunite 1,2V 10-30°

Z 1.577 1.61 Yellow to dark yel- r^>v strong

low

Meta-autunite from Thorn claim JS bifiXJal negative, 27 small to medium, nY 

and nZ equal to 1.603 ± O.oos.

AH&lysis Qualitative spectrograpKic analysis of material from Thontl

claim:

Major l/'P

Minor Ca Si Fe

Trace Al Co Na As Ni Mg Pb
URANIUM MINERALS 25

Occurrence and associated minerals: Coating fracture surfaces of

weathered brown sandstone. 

Identification:

On drying or slight heating autunite passes reversibly to metaautunite I. 

A combination of habit, optical properties, and spectroscopic

analysis.

Optical properties are quite variable. Use with caution. 

X-ray powder pattern. Analysis for presence of Ca and lack of

Ba necessary to distinguish from uranocircite. 

Locality: Thorn claim, Thompson district.

BASSETTITE

Fe(U02) 2 (P04) 2 -8H20

i 

Crystal system: Monoclinic, pseudo-orthorhombic.

Habit: Scaly, flattened on {010}. 

Physical properties:

Color: Yellow.

Fluorescence: Yellow, weak, variable.

Luster: Pearly.

Cleavage: {010} perfect. {100} and {001} distinct.

Hardness:.

Specific gravity: 3.10.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 9.4, M 3.48, M 2.19.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION n (Na) PLEOCHKOISM

X b s»1.56 Pale yellow Biaxial negative

Y 1.574 Deep yellow 2F«52°

ZAc=40° 1.580 Deep yellow

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis:

Major U

Minor P Na Fe .

Trace . Al K Ba Si Ca Cu

Occurrence and associated minerals: Secondary coating on mine wall,

near the portal.

Identification: X-ray powder pattern or spectrographic analysis. 

Locality: Denise No. 1 mine, Green River district.

BAYLEYITE

Mg2 (U02)(CO3) 3 -18H2O

Crystal form: Monoclinic. 

Habit: Minute prismatic crystals. 

Physical properties:

Color: Sulfur yellow.

Fluorescence: Feeble.

Luster: Vitreous. 

294667 54 3
26 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Cleavage:

Hardness: 2 2^.

Specific gravity: 2.05.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.6, S 13.0, M 3.82.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION H PLEOCHROISM

ZAc 14° 1.455 Pinkish Biaxial negative 2 V= 30°

Y 1.490 Pale yellow

Z=b 1.500 Pale yellow

Analysis: Semiquantitative spectrographic analysis, in percent, of 

material from Hideout mine:

More than 10 U

1.0-10 Mg Ca (low;

0.1-1.0 Al

0.01-0.1 Si Sr

Occurrence and associated minerals: Found with schroeckingerite

and gypsum as a coating on wall at Hideout mine. Forming at

present where seepage occurs in outcrop on bank of dry stream

bed at Pumpkin Buttes. 

Identification:

Soluble in water. Effervesces in HC1.

Optically distinct. Be careful to distinguish from liebigite.

Indices unusually low for a uranium mineral.

Hideout material did not dehydrate in laboratory, as Arizona

material did. 

Localities:

Type locality at Hillside mine, Yavapai County, Ariz.

Hideout (Tiger) mine, White Canyon district.

Pumpkin Buttes area, Powder River basin, Wyo.

BECQUERELITE

2U03 -3H2O

Crystal system: Orthorhombic; dipyramidal 2/m 2/m 2/m. 

Habit: Tabular {001} and elongated [010]. Also massive.

Physical properties:

Color: Amber to brownish yellow. Streak yellow.

Fluorescence:

Luster: Adamantine, inclining to greasy. 

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect, also {lOl}.

Hardness: 2-3.

Specific gravity: 5.2.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder patterns: S 7.5, M 3.53, M 3.19. 

Optical properties;

ORIENTATION U PLEOCHROISM

X=c 1.735 Colorless Biaxial negative

Y=b 1.820 Light yellow 2F=31°

Z=a 1.830 Dark yellow r^>v marked
URANIUM MINERALS 27

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from Posey 

mine:

Major U 

Minor Si 

Trace Cu Fe Mg

Occurrence and associated minerals: Alteration product of pitchblende 

at Monument No. 2 mine and at Cato Sells mine. At Posey mine 

in high-grade pocket of yellow oxidized ore with cuprosklodowskite. 

Identification:

X-ray powder pattern does not differ greatly from that of schoepite and other hydrated uranium oxides. Higher indices of

refraction than schoepite. 

Darker yellow color and lack of vanadium distinguish from

tyuyamunite and carnotite.

Localities:

Posey mine, White Canyon district. 

Cato Sells mine, Monument Valley district. 

Monument No! 2 mine, Monument Valley district. 

Lucky Strike No. 2 mine, San Rafael district.

CARNOTITE

K2 (UO2 ) 2 (V04 )2 -1-3H2O

Crystal system: Monoclinic.

Habit: As a powder or as loosely coherent macrocrystalline aggregates, 

some may be compact; disseminated; rarely as crusts of imperfectly platy crystals, flattened {001}.

Physical properties:

Color: Lemon yellow, greenish yellow; at Pumpkin Buttes, orange..

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Dull or earthy; pearly or silky when coarsely crystalline.

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect.

Hardness: Soft.

Specific gravity: 4-5; 4.6 average of 4 measurements of crystalline carnotite.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 6.5, M 3.11, W 3.51

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION U PLEOCHBOISM

 X«c 1.750 Nearly colorless Biaxial negative, 2 V 40°-50°

y/\a«14° 1.925-2.06 Canary yellow Indices of refraction vary

2=6 1.950-2.08 Canary yellow with water content

Analysis: Semiquantitative spectrographic analysis, in percent, of 

material from near Cane Springs Pass, Moab district (USNM 

95332):

More than 10 U V

1-10 K

0. 1-1 Al Ca Na Si 

0. 01-0. 1 Ba Sr Fe
28 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Occurrence and associated minerals: Chiefly disseminated in sandstone or locally as small pure masses, especially around petrified or 

carbonized tree trunks or other vegetal matter. Associated with 

tyuyamunite, metatyuyamunite, hewettite, rauvite, and corvusite. At Monument No. 2 mine, with pitchblende.

Identification: Carnotite has higher indices of refraction than any 

other yellow uranium mineral common on the Plateaus. Carnotite and tyuyamunite turn red-brown when a drop of concentrated HC1 is added (vanadium test). Tyuyamunite fuses 

relatively easily; carnotite is infusible.

Localities: In most of the vanadium-uranium mines of the following districts on 

the Colorado Plateaus: Thompsons, Gateway, Uravan, Paradox, Bull Canyon, Gypsum Valley, Slick Rock, Moab, Monticello, Monument Valley, 

Grants, and the Temple Mountain part of the San Rafael district. Also 

at Pumpkin Buttes, Wyo., and at Coal Canyon, Red Canyon, and Craven 

Canyon, Fall River County, S. Dak.

CUPROSKLODOWSKITE

Cu(UO2 )2Si2Or6H2O

Crystal system: Orthorhombic.

Habit: Minute prismatic or acicular crystals. Usually grouped in

radial clusters, also as thin films and botryoidal crusts. 

Physical properties:

Color: Pale yellow-green; yellow in thin crystal blades.

Fluorescence:

Luster: Pearly to dull.

Cleavage: {lOO} and {010}.

Hardness: 3-4.

Specific gravity: 3.5±.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 8.1, S 4.08, M 6.1.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION H PLEOCHROISM

x 1-654 Very pale yellowish green Biaxial negative

Y 1.664-1.667 Very pale yellowish green 2 V small 

Z=c 1.664-1.667 Pale greenish yellow r^>v strong

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from Posey

mine:

Major U Si

Minor Cu 

Trace Pb Fe Na

Occurrence and associated minerals: As a fracture coating with

brochantite. .In a high-grade pocket as tbin green veins in

massive becquerelite.

Identification: Presence of Cu, acicular habit, and indices higher than 

those of johannite. Note uranophane has similar optical properties.

Localities: Posey mine, White Canyon district.
URANIUM MINERALS 29

FOURMARIERITE

PbU4013 .7H26

Crystal system: Orthorhombic.

Habit: Tabular {OOl} and usually elongated [010].

Physical properties:

Color: Red to golden red; also brown.

Fluorescence:

Luster: Adamantine.

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect.

Hardness: 3-4. .

Specific gravity: 6.0.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 3.38, S 3.04, S 1.89.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION U PLEOCHROISM

X=c 1.85 Colorless Biaxial negative

Y=b 1.92 Pale yellow 2 V large

Z=a 1.94 Yellow r>t> strong

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from Lucky 

Strike No. 2 mine:

Major U

Minor Pb

Trace Al Mg Si Fe

Occurrence and associated minerals: As an alteration product of pitchblende, with becquerelite and zippeite-like minerals at Lucky 

Strike; as red specks in pale-orange becquerelite and surrounding 

galena at Monument No. 2 mine.

Identification: Orange-red color, high indices of refraction, and negative test for vanadium.

Localities:

Lucky Strike No. 2 mine, San Rafael district (first collected by J. W. Gruner). 

Monument No. 2 mine, Monument Valley district.

GUMMITE

Chiefly hydrated U oxide

. A field term for amorphous or nearly amorphous yellow or orange 

alteration products of uraninite used in somewhat the same sense 

as limonite and wad are used for iron and manganese oxides if specific 

minerals cannot be identified.

Many specimens formerly called gummite have been shown by 

modern laboratory methods to contain becquerelite, schoepite, uranophane, or some other uranium oxide, silicate, or ca'rbonate.

Identified by color, high uranium content, and association with 

uraninite (or pitchblende).
30 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

JOHANNITE

Cu(UO2 ) 2 (S04) 2 (OH)2 .6H2O

Crystal system: Triclinic; pinacoidal I.

Habit: Prismatic; as coatings and small spheroidal aggregates of lathlike crystals. 

Physical properties:

Color: Clear, light green. Streak paler.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Vitreous.

Cleavage: {lOO} good. Not brittle.

Hardness: 2-2%.

Specific gravity: 3.32.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.8, S 6.2, M 3.88.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION TO PLEOCHROISM

X 1.577 Colorless Biaxial positive

Y 1.597 Pale yellow 0y«90°

Z 1.616 Greenish yellow r<^v strong

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from Happy 

Jack mine:

Major U

Minor Cu

Trace Ca Al Mg Si

Occurrence and associated minerals: As wall or fracture coatings with 

uranopilite, zippeite-like minerals, broehantite, and chalcanthite. 

Coating pitchblende, chalcopyrite, and covellite.

Identification: Color, and tests for Cu and sulfate. Optical properties,

Localities:

Happy Jack mine, White Canyon district.

Oyler mine, Henry Mountains district. 

Frey No. 4 mine, White Canyon district.

LIEBIGITE

Ca2U(C03 ) 4 .10H20 4

Crystal system; Orthorhombic.

Habit: Crystals equant or short prismatic [001], usually indistinct

with, rounded, edges. Gommoiily as granular or scaly aggregates

and thin crusts; also botryoidal,

Physical properties;

Color'. Light, vivid, greenish yellow.

Fluorescence: Light green, strong.

Luster: Vitreous, slightly pearly on the cleavage.

Cleavage:

4 The valence state of U in this mineral is being determined.
URANIUM MINERALS ' 31

Hardness: 2%-3.

Specific gravity: 2.41.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 8.7, S 6.8, S 5.4.

Optical properties:

OKIENTATION n PLEOCHROISM

X=a 1. 497 Nearly colorless Biaxial negative

Y 1.502 Pale yellowish green 2F40°

Z 1. 539 Pale yellowish green r>z> moderate

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from Pumpkin Buttes:

Major U Ca

Minor __

Trace Al Fe Mg Mn Si

Occurrence and associated minerals: Secondary coating at Pumpkin 

Buttes. Noted by D'Arcy George (1949) at Lusk, Wyo., perhaps as alteration product of uranophane.

Identification: Effervesces in HC1 and soluble in water. Optical 

properties. (Be careful to distinguish, from bayleyite.)

Localities:

Black Ape mine, Thompsons district. 

Pumpkin Buttes, Wyo. 

Lusk, Wyo.

NEW BLACK URANIUM MINERAL

Formula uncertain 6

Crystal system: Tetragonal.

Habit: Massive; may show remnants of wood structure.

Physical properties:

Color: Black.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Adamantine.

Cleavage:

Hardness:

Specific gravity: More than 3.3 (Variable because of admixed material.)

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 3.48, MS 4.62, M 2.64, M 1.80.

Optical properties: Opaque. Translucent in very thin fragments.

Analysis: No analysis of pure material is yet available; mineral occurs 

mixed with carbonaceous material and other black minerals.

Occurrence and associated minerals: Impregnating sandstone and 

replacing wood; with uraninite, and a low-valence (4-3, +4) 

vanadium oxide, and pyrite. Found in mines with protective

 Analyses show as much as 61 percent U and varying amounts of Si, As, and V. The new mineral may 

be analogous to thorite (ThSiOO, 1. e., USlOi, with OH substituting for SI, or it may be a hydrated oxide. 

(Stiefl and Stern.fpersonal communication,|june 1953.)
32 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

cover or at the heads of steep canyons where erosion has recently 

exposed ore. (First found at La Sal No. 2 mine in August 1951 

by T. W. Stern and L. R. Stieff, report in preparation). 

Identification: X-ray powder pattern and lack of thorium. The 

X-ray powder pattern is very similar to that of thorite.

Localities:

District District

Arrowhead mine Gateway Grey Dawn mine Paradox

Black Mama mine do. Wild Steer mine Bull Canyon

Corvusite mine do. Little Muriel mine Slick Rock

La Sal No. 2 mine do. Denise No. 1 mine Green River

Matchless mine do. Mi Vida mine Monticello

Laguna area Grants

NOVACEKITE

Mg(UO2 )2 (As04 ) 2 .8-10H2O

Crystal system: Tetragonal (or pseudotetragonal).

Habit: Thin tabular {OOl}. As foliated or scaly aggregates.

Physical properties:

Color: Straw yellow. 

Fluorescence: Pale yellow-green. 

Luster: Pearly. 

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect. 

Hardness: 2^- 

Specific gravity: 3.3.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 10.2, S 3.56, M 5.1. 

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION U

X=c

Y 1. 620-1. 623' Biaxial negative 

Z 1. 620-1. 623 2V 0-15° 

Analysis: Semiquantitative spectrographic analysis, in percent, of

material from Laguna, Grants district:

More than 10 U Si

1-10 As Al Fe

0.1-1 Mg Ca

0.01-0.1 Ti Sr Ba

Occurrence and associated minerals: Coating on sandstone.

Identification:

Color, habit, fluorescence, and test for arsenate distinguish 

from all known uranium minerals except uranospmite

[Co.(TJ03 ) 2 (AsO4) 2 -8-12H:3O].

X-ray powder pattern similar to that of saieeite.

Localities:

Laguna, Grants district. This is the only known occurrence in North America, second in world (found by T. W. Stern, 1952).
URANIUM MINERALS 33

PHOSPHURANYLITE

CaOJ02) 7 (P04)4(OH) 4 '10H20 (?) 6

Crystal system: Tetragonal or pseudo tetragonal

Habit: As earthy or scaly coatings or crusts, also as microscopic

rectangular plates and laths. 

Physical properties:

Color: Deep yellow to golden yellow.

Fluorescence: Variable.

Luster: Pearly.

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect but not easily observed.

Hardness: 2%.

Specific gravity:

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.9, M 5.83, M 3.92, M 2.88.

Optical properties: variable.

ORIENTATION H . PLEOCHBOISM

X or E 1. 660-1. 690 Colorless to pale yel- Usually biaxial negative.

low. 2V usually 5-20° (as

Y 1. 700-1. 718 Golden yellow. much as 35°) r > t;

Z or 0 1. 701-1. 718 Golden yellow strong.

Analysis: No analyses of pure material; mineral commonly admixed

with clay. 

Occurrence and associated minerals: Disseminated in sandstone or as

coating on fracture. 

Identification: X-ray powder pattern. The optical properties are

variable and the mineral is usually too fine grained to exhibit a

typical crystal form.

Localities:

North Point-Gonway claim, White Canyon district.

Posey mine, White Canyon district.

Cobalt No. 2 mine, Thompsons district.

Cactus Rat mine, Thompsons district.

Grey Dawn mine,, Paradox district.

Mineral Ten claim, Green River district.

RABBITTITE 7

Crystal system: Monoclinic.

Habit: Fibrous or finely acicular, in clusters of microscopic crystals;

elongated [001]. 

Physical properties:

Color: Pale greenish yellow.

Fluorescence: Weak.

Luster: Silky.

6 Personal communication, C. Frondel, 1953.

' Thompson, M. E., Weeks, A. D., ;;nd Sherwood, A. M., 1954 Rabbittite, » new uranyl carbonate from 

Utah: U. S. Geol. Survey Trace Elements Inv. Kept. 405. ° 

294667 54 4
34 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Cleavage: {OOl}.

Hardness: Soft.

Specific gravity: Approximately 2.5.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 8.1, M 11.1, M 4.37.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION H

X 1. 502±0. 005 Biaxial positive (?) 2V

Y=b 1.508 ±0.005 large.

ZAc«15° 1.525 ±0.003

Analysis: Chemical analysis of material from Lucky Strike No. 2 

mine, in percent. Analyst, A. M. Sherwood:

CaO MgO U03 C0a H2 0 Total 

10.6 9.2 37.4 17.8 24.5 99.5

Occurrence and associated minerals: Efflorescent coating on mine wall 

near portal; with gypsum, sphaerocobaltite, bieberite, and 

uranium sulfates.

Identification: Habit, optical properties. Effervesces in HC1. Slowly 

soluble in water.

Locality:

Lucky Strike No. 2 mine, San Rafael district, Utah. Specimen collected by 

M. E. Thompson. Named for John C. Rabbitt, chief, Trace Elements 

Section, U. S. Geological Survey, 1947-53.

RAUVITE

Ca0.2UO3 -5V2O6-16H2 0 (?)

Crystal system:

Habit: As dense slickensided masses, botryoidal crusts, filmy coatings

commonly showing shrinkage cracks, and interstitial filling. 

Physical properties:

Color: Commonly brownish red to purplish black; less commonly dirty orangeyellow. Streak yellow-brown. 

Fluorescence: None.

- Luster: Adamantine to waxy.

Cleavage: None.

Hardness: Ranges from waxy ana seciile to brittle ana glassy.

Specific gravity: 2.92 (for analyzed material, Monument No. 2 mine).

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 10.5, M (broad) 2.95, M 3.48,

M 3.35.

Optical properties:' Variable, from low birefringence with n about 1.89

to high birefringence, with indices approaching those of carnotite;

poorly crystalline

n=1.89 ll95 Biaxial negative (?)

Analysis: Chemical analysis, in percent, of material from Monument

No. 2 mine. Analyst; A. M. Sherwood;

U03 V2 08 V2 04 CaO A12 03 Acid Total Total

insol. HaO

31.49 48.28* 1.44 2.76 0.70 0.61 15.49 100.77
URANIUM MINERALS 35

Occurrence and associated minerals: Probably an alteration product of 

pitchblende and low-valence vanadium oxides; also possibly of 

tyuyamunite. Association and occurrence as for tyuyamunite; 

not .so common as tyuyamunite.

Identification: X-ray powder pattern. Rauvite is very fine grained, 

and extremely variable in physical properties.

Localities:

Hummer mine, Bull Canyon district.

Corvusite mine, Gateway district.

Small Spot mine, Gateway district.

Road Hog 3A claim, Coal Canyon, Fall River County, S. Dak.

Monument No. 2 mine, Monument Valley district.

Temple Mountain, San Rafael district.

Arrowhead mine, Gateway district.

Cactus Rat mine, Thompsons district.

SCHROECKINGERITE

NaCa3 (U02)(C03 )3(S04 )F-10H2 0

Crystal system: Orthorhombic 8 . Pseudohexagonal.

Habit: As clusters or globular aggregates of scales flattened {OOl},

some with a six-sided outline. 

Physical properties:

Color: Greenish yellow.

Fluorescence: Strong, greenish yellow.

Luster: Weakly vitreous, sometimes pearly.

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect.

Hardness: 2%.

Specific gravity: 2.51.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.2, M 4.79, M 2.86.

Soluble in water, effervesces in HC1.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION n PLEOCHROISM

X=c ' 1.489 Very pale yellow Biaxial negative

Y 1.542 Pale greenish yellow 2V 0-25°

Z 1.542 Pale greenish yellow

Analysis: Semiquantitative spectrographic analysis, in percent, of 

material from Red Desert, Wyo.:

More than 10 U Ca

0.1-1 FNa

0.01-0.1 Si Al Sr|[Zn Fe

O.OOi-0.01 K Ti Mg

Occurrence and associated minerals: In a near-surface deposit in clay 

at McCoy group, Thompsons district. As coating on mine wall, 

with bayleyite, at Hideout mine. As alteration product of 

pitchblende at Crabapple claim.

(O. Hurlbut, Personal communication, 1953.
36 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Identification: If coarsely crystalline, six-sided plates and optical 

properties distinguish it from the other carbonates. Effervesces 

in HC1. Soluble in water. Positive sulfate test.

Localities:

McCoy group and Parco No. 25 mine in Yellow Cat group, Thompsons

district.

Crabapple claim, Green River district. 

Shinarump No. 3 mine, Green River district. 

Hideout (Tiger) mine, White Canyon district.

Cu(U02 )2 (PO4 )2 - 8-12H2O 

Metatorbernite lias 8H20

(Metatorbernite probably more abundant in nature than torbernite)

Crystal system: Tetragonal; ditetragonal-dipyramidal 4/m 2/m 2/m. 

Habit: Tablets on {OOl}; often in rosettes or sheaflike aggregates of

irregularly curved and composite crystals. 

Physical properties:

Color: Pale green to dark green.

Fluorescence: Not commonly.

Luster: Vitreous; pearly on {OOl}.

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect. Rather brittle.

Hardness: 2%.

Specific gravity: Torbernite = 3.2; metatorbernite = 3.5 3.7.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern of metatorbernite: VS 8.7, VS 3.68, 

M 4.93, M 3.49, M 3.35.

Optical properties:

Metatorbernite Torbernite

n n DICHBOISM

0 1.610-1.628 1. 592 Sky blue Anomalous interferin White light ence colors

E 1.582 Green

Uniaxial positive (?) Uniaxial negative

Analysis: Qualitative spcctrograpliic analysis of material from Markey

No. 3 mine:

Major U

Minor Cu Na Si P 

Trace Ca Mg As Fe

Occurrence and associated minerals: Crystalline aggregates OH Sandstone with metazeunerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcanthite,

and alunite.

Identification: Color, crystal form, and absence of arsenic.

Localities:

Markey No. 3 mine, White Canyon district. 

Grey Dawn mine, Paradox district. 

Skyline mine, Monument Valley district. 

Mineral Ten claim, Green River district.
URANIUM MINERALS 37

TYUYAMUNITE and METATYUYAMUNITE

Ca(UOj)«(VO«V7-10KHaO

Crystal system: Orthorhombic.

Habit: As scales and laths flattened {001} and elongated [100]; as

radial aggregates. Commonly massive, compact to cryptocrystalline; also pulverulent. 

Physical properties:

Color: Yellow, greenish yellow (turns green on exposure to sunlight).

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Of crystals adamantine; pearly on {OOl}; massive material waxy

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect, micaceous; {010} and {lOO} distinct.

Hardness: About 2.

Specific gravity: 3.62 (fully hydrated material).

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern:9 S 9.9, M 4.93, M 3.29, M 3.16

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION n PLEOCHROISM

X=c 1.57 calcd. Nearly colorless Biaxial negative 

Y=b 1.805±0.002 Pale canary yellow 2V 42° r<v 

Z=a 1.851 ±0.002 Canary yellow

The indices increase 

on dehydration

Analysis: Chemical analysis, in percent, of material from Small Spot 

mine, Gateway district. Analyst, R. G. Milkey:

CaO U03 V2 04 V2 05 H2 0 Total 

6.03 57.08 0.55 20.31 16.03 100.00

Recalculated to 100 percent, after H20 determination of fully 

hydrated sample.

Occurrence and associated minerals: Disseminated in sandstone. 

Coating joints and fractures, with metatyuyamunite, carnotite, 

rauvite, corvusite, and hewettite. At Mesa No. 1 mine, Shiprock 

district, withmelanovanadite.

Identification: Tyuyamunite and carnotite can be distinguished from 

other yellow U minerals by the presence of vanadium: they will 

turn red-brown when a drop of concentrated HC1 is touched to the 

mineral. X-ray powder pattern may be necessary to distinguish 

from carnotite and metatyuyamunite. When coarsely crystalline, 

may be distinguished optically. Fuses much more easily than 

carnotite.

Localities: Same as for carnotite. Abundant in Grants and Shiprock districts, 

with little carnotite.

Metatyuyamunite is a mineral with a formula like that of tyuyamunite, except for the number of water molecules, Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2.5-7 

H2O. In general, its physical properties resemble very closely those

8 Too vigorous grinding of tyuyamunite for a powder pattern destroys the structure.
38

of tyuyanrunite. Its specific gravity is higher (3.81 3.93). Optically it is biaxial negative, but the indices of refraction are higher 

than tyuyamunite: nX=l.Q7 (calcd.), nY=l.S35, nZ=1.865, 2V= 

44°. The strongest lines of its X-ray powder pattern are S 8.4, 

M 4.21, M 3.24, M 3.04. These properties vary somewhat with 

minor changes in water content. Metatyuyamunite is found in the 

same districts as tyuyamunite, and is especially abundant near 

Haystack Mountain and Laguna, Grants district.

URANINITE (PITCHBLENDE)

Ideally U02 (commonly contains U03 )

Crystal system: Isometric; hexoctahedral 4/m 3 2/m (?).

Habit: Massive. Commonly replaces cellular structure of wood.

Physical properties:

Color: Black.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Submetallic to pitchlike or greasy, and dull.

Cleavage: Fracture uneven to conchoidal. Brittle.

Hardness: 5-6.

Specific gravity: Uraninite 8-10. Colloform pitchblende less than 8.5.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 3.14, S 1.65, S 1.93.

Optical properties: Usually opaque. Transparent in very thin

splinters. 

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of pitchblende from

Juniper claim:

Major U 

Minor Si Ca

Trace V Fe Na Mn

Spectrographic analysis of uraninite from Happy Jack shows not 

more than 1 percent of any element except uranium.

Occurrence and associated minerals; In unoxidized ore in mines 

located at the heads of steep canyons or under a protective cover. 

In vanadiferous ore uraninite is associated with a new black U 

mineral and low-valence vanadium oxides, montroseite, and

others, and alters to rauvite, carnotite, and tyuyamunite, and

rarely to becquerelite and uranopnane. In nonvanadiferous ore,

as at Happy Jack mine, uraninite is associated with sulfides of

Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Co, and Ni and alters to becquerelite, fourmarierite, nranopilite, johannite, zippeite-like minerals, schroeckingerite and uranopnane.
URANIUM MINERALS 39

Identification: Black, high U content, very radioactive, commonly 

with yellow alteration products. X-ray powder pattern.

Localities:

MORRISON FORMATION

District

Grey Dawn mine.______-___-____________________ Paradox

Juniper mine__________________----_------_---- Thompson

Corvusite mine__-__-____-._--___---------------- Gateway

Blue Jay mine._________________________________ Moab

SHINARUMP CONGLOMERATE

Camp Bird No. 13 mine._--_-__-_---_----__------ San Rafael

Lucky Strike No. 2 mine.________________________ Do.

Marshbank Canyon mine_____----___------_-__-_- Do.

Pay Day mine_-__------_------_--_------_------ Do.

 Rex No. 2 mine.________________________________ Do.

Crabapple claim________-___-__-_------------_--_ Green River

Shinarump No. 1 mine.__________________________ Do.

Oyler mine... _________-___-_-__--__-------_--_- Henry Mountains

Frey No. 4 mine____-___ __---__----_-_---_-_--_ White Canyon

Happy Jack mine__________________--__--__--__ Do.

Hideout mine._____-_-_--__--------_____________ Do.

Markey No. 3 mine.----------------------------- Do.

Notch mine._________-___-----__----_-------_-_- Do.

White Canyon No. 1 mine_._---__________________ Do.

Cato Sells mine. ________________________________ Monument Valley

Monument No. 2 mine.______.-__--_---._________ Do.

Skyline mine______--_---__--_---_-------_-_----_ Do.

OTHER FORMATIONS

Haystack Mountain area._-_---___-____-----._--_ Grants

Placerville, Colo__.-_--______-__-_--_----____.--_ Placerville

Huskon No. 2 claim.____________________________ Little Colorado

Mi Vida mine.___--______-_---__-----------_--_- Monticello

URANOPHANE AND BETA-URANOPHANE

Ca(UO2)2Si2O7 -6H2 0

Crystal system: Orthorhombic.

Habit: Minute prismatic in radiated or stellate aggregates. Commonly massive and very finely fibrous. 

Physical properties:

Color: Yellow, orange-yellow, streak paler. 

Fluorescence: None. 

Luster: Pearly to greasy. 

Cleavage: {lOO}.
40 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Hardness: 2-3. 

Specific gravity: 3.8-3.9.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.9, S 3.95, M 4.82, M 2.98, 

M 2.92.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION H PLEOCHEOISM

X = a 1.642-1.645 Colorless Biaxial negative

Y = b 1.665-1.667 Pale canary yellow 2V 32°

Z = c 1.667-1.670 Canary yellow r<v marked to extreme

Analysis: Partial chemical analysis in percent, by A. M. Sherwood; 

material from Lusk, Wyo.:

H2 0 Si02 CaO U03 Total 

13.02 12.66 8.53 65.24 99.45

Occurrence and associated minerals: Disseminated in sandstone at 

Pumpkin Buttes. At Grants coating limestone. At Cato Sells 

on pitchblende with becquerelite.

Identification: Absence of Cu distinguishes it from cuprosklodowskite; 

optical properties from other U minerals.

Localities:

Grants district; Cato Sells, Monument Valley district, Grey Dawn mine, 

Paradox district. Pumpkin Buttes and Lusk, Wyo.

Beta-uranophane is a dimorphous form of uranophane. It is monoclinic, and its habit is similar to that of uranophane. Optically it is 

biaxial negative; its indices of refraction are slightly higher (nX= 

1.66 1.67, nY= 1.67 1.70, nZ=1.68 1.71, 2^=40° 70°); and its 

X-ray powder pattern is different. The strongest lines are VS 7.8, 

S 3.90, M 2.59. Beta-uranophane has not yet been identified from 

the Plateaus, by the writers but it may have been overlooked because

it can be converted to uranophane by use of too much pressure in 

grinding.

URANOPILITE

(U02 ) 6 (S04)(OH) 10 -12H20 

Crystal system: Probably monoclinic.

Habit: AS velvety mcrustationg and globular or reniform masses

Composed of microscopic needles or laths elongated [001] and

flattened (OK)}. 

Physical properties:

Color: Bright yellow. 

Fluorescence: Bright yellow-green.

Luster: Silky.

Cleavage: {010} perfect.

Hardness:

Specific gravity: 3.7 4.0.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.1, S 9.1, S 4.23.
URANIUM MINERALS 41

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION n

X 1. 623 Biaxial negative

YAc=18° 1.625 2V rather large (Na); 0° for some wavelengths

Z 1. 634 r<t> extreme; also r>t>

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from Happy 

Jack mine:

Major U

Minor 

Trace Si Ca Co

Occurrence and associated minerals: Abundant in Happy Jack mine 

as wall coatings with johannite and zippeite-like minerals.

Identification: Test for sulfate and distinguish from zippeite and 

zippeite-like minerals by optical properties. From johannite by 

test for Cu.

Localities: Happy Jack mine, White Canyon district.

 UVANITE 10 

2U03 -3V206 -15H20 (?)

Crystal system: Orthorhombic (?).

Habit: As minutely crystalline masses and coatings.

Physical properties:

Color: Brownish yellow. 

Fluorescence: None. 

Luster: 

Cleavage: 

Hardness: 

Specific gravity:

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 2.96, Mb 5.9, Mb 5.3, M 1.71 

(b = broad).

Optical properties:

n PLEOCHROISM

X 1. 817 Light brown Biaxial positive

Y 1. 879 Dark brown ' 2F=52°

Z 2. 057 Greenish yellow

Analysis: Analyst, W. T. Schaller:

CaO UOs VaOs H2 0 Rem. Total 

1. 73 39. 60 37. 70 18. 28 1,69 99.00

Occurrence and associated minerals: Associated with carnotite, 

rauvite, hewettite, metatorbernite, hyalite, and gypsum in 

asphaltic sandstone at Temple Mountain, San Rafael district.

Identification: X-ray powder pattern (?). May be related to 

rauvite. Poorly defined mineral. Needs further work.

Locality: Temple Mountain, San Rafael district, Utah. 

>° Data from Dana system, 7th ed., v. 2, p. 1056, except X-ray powder pattern. No new localities found.
42 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

METAZEUNERITE

Cu(UO2 )2 (AsO4 y8H2O

(Fully hydrated zeunerite probably rare in nature.) 

Crystal system: Tetragonal; ditetragonal dipyramidal 4/m 2/m 2/m. 

Habit: Tabular {OOl} and resembling torbernite. 

Physical properties:

Color: Grass green to emerald green.

Fluorescence: Yellow-green.

Luster: Vitreous, pearly on {OOl}.

Cleavage: {OOl} perfect. {100} distinct.

Hardness: 2-2%.

Specific gravity: 3.6.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 8.7, S 3.68, M 5.44, M 4.98.

Optical properties:

n DICHEOISM

0 1. 643 1. 651 Grass green Uniaxial negative 

E 1. 623 1. 635 Pale green Indices vary with content of

zeolitic water

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of mineral from Markey 

No. 3 mine:

Major U

Minor Cu As Si

Trace Co Fe Na Ca Pb

Occurrence and associated minerals: Coating joints and fracture

surfaces. 

Identification: Test for Cu and As, with green color, and habit as

square plates.

Localities:

Markey No. 3 mine, White Canyon district.

Pay Day mine, San Rafael 'district.

Monument No. 2 mine, Monument Valley district.

ZIPPEITE-LIKE MINERALS

(U02 ) 2 (S04)(OH)2 -4H20 

Crystal system: Ortliorhonibic. Some may be monoclinic.

Habit: Microscopic crystalline aggregates; rarely in blades or flakes.

rnysical properties:

Color: Golden yellow to orange.
URANIUM MINERALS 43

Fluorescence: Green. Some does not fluoresce.

Luster: Of aggregates dull to silky.

Cleavage: Probably {010} perfect.

Hardness: »2

Specific gravity: >3.2

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern:

S 7.14, M 3.56, M 3.47, M 3.12 (from Lucky Strike No..2 mine); S 7.3i;

M 3.66, M 3.49, M 3.15 (from Oyler mine).

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION H U PLEOCHROISM

(Sample (Sample 

from ' from 

Oyler Lucky 

mine) . Strike 

No. 2 

mine)

X=b 1.630 Pale yellow Biaxial negative 

Y 1.689 «1. 75 Yellow 2 V large (80°) 

Z 1. 739 ~l. 86 Darker yellow Indices vary widely.

Some samples are apparently monoclinic, 

withZAC«40°

Analysis: Chemical analysis, in percent, of material from Oyler mine. 

Analyst, A. M. Sherwood:

U08 S08 H2 0 CaO Total 

78.78 10.42 11.20 0.07 100.47

Occurrence and associated minerals: In mines as wall coatings, as

joint and fracture coatings. Alone, or with johannite, uranopilite,

or pitchblende. 

Identification: A sulfate containing no Cu. May be distinguished

optically from uranopilite. X-ray powder pattern varies. 

Localities:

Happy Jack mine, White Canyon district.

Oyler mine, Henry Mountains district.

Lucky Strike No. 2 mine, San Rafael district.

Sodaroll claim, Green River district.

It is not known why the optical properties, X-ray powder pattern, 

and fluorescence vary. This description may include more than one 

mineral, polymorphous forms of the same mineral, or different hydration states of the same mineral.
Indices andiichroism

TABLE 1. Optical properties of uranium 

Uniaxial positive group

nE

1.540

Pale yellow

nO Name and composition System and habit

1.520 Andersonite Hex. R.

Colorless Na2Ca(UO»)(C03)3-6H2O Minute pseudo-cubic crystals

1.610-1.628 Metatorbenaite Tet. Tablets on (001

1.489

1.559

Colorless

1.582

Green

1.623-1.635

Pale green

1.66-1.69

Colorless to pale

low

Cu(UOiMPO,)r8H20 (001)

Uniaxial negative group

1.542 Schroeckingerite Pseudo-hex. {000

NaCa3 (U02)(C03)3(SO4)F-10HjO

1.574 Saleeite Tet. Tablets on {001

Pale green-yellow Mg(U02) 2 (PO()2'8-10H2 O (001) {010

1.592 Torbernite Tet. Tablets on {001

Skyblue Cu(U02)i(PO()j-8-12H2O (001)

1.643-1.651 Metazeunerite Tet. Tablets on {001

Grass green Cu(UOj)j(J\.s04 )2-8H2O {001} 100

1.701-1.718 Phosphuranylite Tet. or pseudotet. { 001

yel- Golden yellow CaCUC^MPOiMOH^-lOHsO (?) ob

Biaxial positive group

r-ndias and pleochroism

nX

1.497

Nearly colorless -

1.502

1.577

Colorless

1.623

1.817 

Light brown

1.455

Pinkish .

1.465

Colorless

nY nZ Name and composition - 2V, disp.

1.502 1.539 Liebigite 2^=40° X

Pale yellowish Pale yellowish CazU(CO3)4-10H2O r>»

green green moderate

1.508 1.525 Eabbittite 2 V large 

Ca3Mg3 (UOi)j(C03)e(OH)4-

18H2O

1.597 1.616 Johannite 2F«90°

Pale yellow Q-reenish yellow Cu(U02)2(SO4 )2(OH)2-6H2O r<v

strong

1.625 1.634 TIranopilite 2V large for Na; 

(U02) 6 (SO4 )(OH)io-12H20 0°-some wavelengths

1.879 2.057 TJvanite 2^=52° 

Dark brown Greenish yellow 2UOj-3V2O5 -15H2O (?)

Biaxial negative group

1.490 1.500 Bayleyite 2V=30°

Pale yellow Pale yellow Mg2(U02) (CO3) 3 -18HS0

1.51 1.540 Swartzite 2V=40°

Yellow Yellow CaMg(UO2)(CO3)3-12H2 0 (calcd.)
1.489

1.559

1.56±

Pale yellow

1.553 

Pale yellow

1.542

1.570

1.574

Deep yellow

1.575 

Yellow

1.542

1.570

1.580

Deep yellow

1.577 

Yellow

Schroeckingerite 

NaCaa(UO2)(COsh(SO4)F10H2O 

Saleeite 

Mg(UO2) 2 (PO4)2 8-10H2O

Bassetite

Fe(U02) 2 (PO4)2-8H2O

Autunite 

Ca(UO2) 2 (PO4)2-10-12H8O

0-25°

2F=61° 

r>P strong

2V fa 52°

2F=10°-30° 

r>v strong

X=

ZA

X=

(Indices vary with water content) 

1.603

Yellow

(Indices vary with water content) 

1.620-1.623

1.654 

Very pale greenish yellow 

1.642-1.645 

Colorless

1.650 

'Colorless

1.66-1.67 

Colorless 

1.630

Nearly colorless

1.690 

Colorless

1.660-1.690 

Colorless to pale

yellow 

1.57 

(Calcd.)

Nearly colorless 

1.735 

Colorless

1.67 

(Calcd.)

1.85

Colorless

1.750 

Nearly colorless

1.664-1.667 

Pale greenish

yellow 

1.665-1.667 

Pale yellow

1.68 

Pale greenish

yellow 

1.67-1.70 

Lemon yellow 

1.689

Pale yellow to

orange-yellow 

1.714 

Lemon yellow

1.700-1.718 

Golden yellow

1.805 

Pale canary yellow 

1.820 

Light yellow

1.835

1 QQ_1 OK

J..Off^-l.oO

1.92

Pale yellow

1.925-2.06 

Canary yellow

1.603

Yellow

1.620-1.623

1.664-1.667 

Pale greenish

yellow 

1.667-1.670 

Canary yellow

1.710 

Greenish yellow

1.68-1.71 

Lemon yellow 

1.739

Pale yellow to

orange-yellow 

1.735 

Lemon yellow

1.701-1.718 

Golden yellow

1.851 

Canary yellow

1.830 

Dark yellow

1.865

1.94

Yellow

1.950-2.08 

Canary yellow

Meta-autunite I

Ca(U02) 2 (P04) 2-2^-6^H2 0

Novacekite 

Mg(UO2) 2 (AsO4) 2 -8-10H2O

Cuprosklodowskite 

Cu(UO2) 2Si2 07 -6H2O

Uranophane 

Ca(UO2) 2Si2O7 -6H2O

Soddyite 

(UOjMSiOsMOH^-SHjO

Beta-uranophane 

Ca(UO2 ) 2 Si2O7 -6H2O 

Betazippeite

(UO2)j(SO4)(OH) a-4H»O

.Schoepite UO3 -2H2O

Phosphuranylite 

Ca(UO2) 7 (PO4)4(OH) 4 -10H2 O(?)

Tyuyamunite 

Ca(UO2) 2 (VO4)2-nH2O

n=7-10>.$ 

Becquerelite 

2U03 -3H2O

Metatyuyamunite 

Ca(UO,)j(VO4) 2-nHjO

n=5-7 

Rauvite

CaO.2UO3 -5V2O6 .16HjO (?) 

Founnarierite

PbU4O13 -7HjO

Carnotite 

Kj(UOs) 2 (V04)»-l-3HjO

2V small to medium

2F=0°-15°

2 V small 

r>p strong

2V=32° 

r<p marked to ex2 V near 90° 

r>» strong

2t/=40°-70° 

r>v strong 

2v large

(80°)

2F=89° 

r>v

2V=5°-2Q° 

(Max. 35°)

r>» strong 

2V=42° 

r<v

2V=31° 

r>p marked

2V=4A°

2V large

r>o 

strong

2T'=40°-50°

X=

X=

7=

X=

Y=

7=

X=

Y=

_ 

 

X=

X=

ZA

X=

Y=

7=

X=

X=

Y=

7=

X=

Y=

7=

X=

Y=

7=

X=

Y=

7=

Xt

FA

7=
46 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS 

VANADIUM MINERALS

The vanadium minerals described in the following pages (except the 

uranyl vanadates described under uranium minerals) include all those 

studied by the writers and thought to be valid species from the 

Colorado Plateaus.

Classified according to chemical composition the described minerals 

are:

Oxides: Montroseite VO(OH) or (V,Fe)0(OH)

Navajoite V20«-3H20

New vanadium oxide probably V+s and V+4, hydrated

New vanadium oxide V2(VV204-H20 

Vanadates: Calciovolborthite (Cu,Ca) 2 (V04)(OH)

Volborthite Cu3 (V04)2-3H2 0 (?)

Fervanite Fe4V4Oi6 -5H2O

Steigerite A12 (V04) 2 -6^H2 0

Rossite CaV206 -4H2O

Metarossite CaV2 06-2H2O

Pascoite Ca2V6017 -llH2 0

Hummerite K2 Mg2V10 028-16H20

Melanovanadite 2CaO2V2 04 -3V2 (VH2 0 (?)

Hewettite CaV6Oi6-9H20

Metahewettite CaVaOi8-9H2 0

Sodium analogue of hewettite Na2VeOi8-3H2 0 (?)

Corvusite V2 04 -6V2 06-nH2 0 (?) (similar to fernandinite

CaO V2 04 -5V2 0S- 14H2 0) 

Silicates: Roscoelite (Al,V) 2 (AlSi3)(K,Na)Oio(OH,F) 2

Vanadium hydromica

 Confusion exists about the names hewettite and metahewettite, 

originally described (Hillebrand, Merwin, and Wright, 1914) as having 

different optical properties and dehydration properties but the same

chemical formula, CaO-3V2Os-9H20. The type specimens in the U. S. 

National Museum, hewettite from Peru and metahewettite from southeast of Thompsons, Utah, have now dehydrated to CaO-3V205 '3H20 

and give the same X-ray powder pattern. Recent investigation of

vanadium ores from the Colorado Plateaus indicates at least two

hydrates of calcium vanadate in nature, one with 9H2O and one with

3H20, but the writers have not found material with the optical properties given for metahewettite (Hillebrand, Merwin, and Wright,

1914). The natural vanadate with 9H20 can be dehydrated readily

in the laboratory with loss of 6H2O. During rehydration from the

SHO form to the 9H20, an intermediate stage was observed, possibly 

with 6H2O (this first observed by Barnes and Qurashi, personal communication, 1953). Although each of the hydrates has a distinct

X-ray pOWder pattern, only the 3H2O liydrate is abundantly found.

Two mineral species originally described from the Colorado Plateaus, 

vanoxite (Hess, 1925) and pintadoite (Hess and Schaller, 1914) are
VANADIUM MINERALS 47

omitted. The name vanoxite has been used for a variety of vanadium 

minerals. The composition of vanoxite had been calculated from a 

rock analysis of sandstone ore from the Jo Dandy mine, Colorado, 

after deducting quartz, gypsum, tyuyamunite, and limonite. The 

"type" specimen in the U. S. National Museum came from Wild 

Steer mine, Colorado, and was not analyzed. X-ray powder patterns 

of this "type" specimen are similar to those of corvusite and fernandinite. The black crystals observed in thin sections (Hess, 1925, p. 65) 

may have been montroseite. The description of pintadoite is so 

incomplete that no more of the mineral can be recognized. No X-ray 

pattern could be obtained from the National Museum sample of 

pintadoite which appears as a faint green stain on sandstone.

In 1950 when X-ray powder patterns were made to obtain standards 

of all the vanadium minerals, it was found that corvusite (USNM type 

specimen) and fernandinite (W. T. Schaller's type specimen) gave 

similar patterns. Further study showed a variation in properties and 

X-ray powder pattern among specimens of both species, and the 

investigation is still in progress. The chief difference between the 

minerals seems to be the presence of several percent of calcium in 

fernandinite and little or none in corvusite.

Another vanadium mineral that may be found although it has not 

yet been identified on the Plateaus is sincosite CaV202 (P04)2'5H20, 

originally described from Peru and known to occur in the Phosphoria 

formation in Idaho (W. T. Schaller, personal communication, 1952).

CORVUSITE

V204-6V2Os.nH2O (?)

(Resembles fernandinite CaO-V204 -5V206-14H20) 

Crystal system: 

Habit: Massive. Very finely crystalline. Slickensided surfaces

appear fibrous. Finely columnar coatings on pebbles and sand

grains. 

Physical properties:

Color: Blue-black to greenish black. Greenish-black streak. Weathers

brown.

Fluorescence: None. 

Luster: Variable. 

Cleavage: Fracture conchoidal. 

Hardness: 2^-3. 

Specific gravity: 2.82 (?). 

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 12.1, M 3.47, W 1.83, VW 1.95.

Optical properties: Opaque except on thin edges, green when finely 

ground; biaxial, 2 indices above 1.90, high birefringence.
48 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of X-ray spindle of type 

material:

Major V

Minor Fe

Low minor Si Al

Occurrence and associated minerals: Impregnating sandstone and 

siltstone. Masses of relatively pure material are commonly 

slickensided. May be an alteration product of low-valence 

vanadium oxides. Associated with carnotite, tyuyamunite, 

rauvite, and hewettite. May alter to navajoite.

Identification: In hand specimen, black, commonly with blue-black 

iridescence, and greenish streak. When finely ground on glass 

slide, forms green waxy smear which easily distinguishes it from 

montroseite. X-ray powder pattern resembles that of fernandinite. (The corvusite-fernandinite minerals are being investigated, 1954.)

Localities: Abundant in mines in Thompsons, Gateway, Uravan, Paradox, Bull 

Canyon, and Slick Rock districts, in the Temple Mountain part of the San 

Rafael district, and at Monument No. 2 mine in Monument Valley district.

FERVANITE

Fe4V4016 -5H2O

Crystal system: Probably monoclinic. 

Habit: Parallel fibrous aggregates. 

Physical properties:

Color: Golden brown.

Fluorescence:

Luster: Brilliant. . . Cleavage:

Hardness:

Specific gravity: 3.28 (measured on sample from Tiny mine).

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 6.46, M 8.83, M 2.94.

Optical properties:

n 

X 2.186 ±0.005 Biaxial negative

Y 2. 222±O. O05 2V very small

7, 2. 224 ±0.005

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis on sample from Tiny

mine:

Major Fe V

Minor Si

Trace Ba Mg Ca

Occurrence and associated minerals: Coatings and fracture fillings,1 

with hewettite, metahewettite, steigerite, carnotite, and tyuyamunite.
VANADIUM MINERALS 49

Identification: Lighter brown color and higher indices of refraction 

than fibrous hewettite and navajoite.

Localities: Tiny mine, Gypsum Valley district; Hummer mine, Bull Canyon 

district; Fox mine in Dolores group, Uravan district; and Polar Mesa, 

Gateway district. Location of first occurrence in Gypsum Valley not described specifically by Hess and Henderson (1931).

HEWETTITE

CaV6016 .9H20

Crystal system: Monoclinic. 11

Habit: As nodular aggregates and coatings of fibers or microscopic

needles; elongated [010]. 

Physical properties:

Color: Deep red; less vivid on exposure in dry atmosphere. 

Fluorescence: None. 

Luster: Silky, adamantine. 

Cleavage: 

Hardness: Soft. 

Specific gravity: 2.55.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: Fully hydrated VS 11.12, M 5.59, 

M 3.11, M 3.69; dehydrated (3H20) VS 8.2, M 3.06, M 2.29, M 2.20.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION w'la PLEOCHROISM

X 1.77 Light orange-yellow Biaxial negative. Indices

Y 2. 18 Light orange-yellow probably vary according to

Z=6 2.35-2. 4 Dark red water content.

Analysis: Chemical analysis of material from Hummer mine, Jo 

Dandy group. Analyst, A. M. Sherwood:

Si02 A1203 CaO MgO V204 V206 S03 HO2 Total 

0.46 0. 13 6.38 1. 61 8.07 73. 15 0.01 10. 12 99.93

Occurrence and associated minerals: As coatings and fracture fillings; 

alteration product of less oxidized vanadium minerals: montroseite, 

corvusite. Associated with vanadium clay, rauvite, steigerite, 

fervanite, navajoite, carnotite, tyuyamunite, and others.

Identification: Color except from metahewettite and sodium analogue 

of hewettite. The nature of the difference between hewettite and 

metahewettite is not fully understood. Hewettite readily loses 

water unless sealed in a moist atmosphere and changes to a lower 

hydrate with 3H2O. The structures of these minerals are being 

investigated by W. H. Barnes, National Research Council, 

Canada.

" Barnes, W. H., and Qurashi, M. M., 1952, p. 414.

» Hillebrand, Merwin, and Wright, 1914,.on fully hydrated hewettite.
50 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Localities: Jo Dandy group, Bull Canyon district; Opera Box mine, Bull Canyon 

district; Matchless mine, Gateway district; Monument No. 2 mine, Monument Valley district; Grey Dawn mine, Paradox district; Fox mine, Uravan 

district; and Tiny mine, Gypsum Valley district.

METAHEWETTITE

CaV6016 .9H2O (?)

Crystal system: Monoclinic. 13

Habitr^As pulverulent masses composed of microscopic tablets or

laths, and as parallel or radially fibrous to bladed aggregates or

coatings; elongated [010]. 

Physical properties:

Color: Deep red; less vivid on exposure in dry atmosphere.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Dull to somewhat silky.

Cleavage:

Hardness: Soft.

Specific gravity: 2.51-2.94, varies with water content.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 8.1, M 3.08, W 1.80.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION n(Li) 14 PLEOCHROISM

X 1. 70 Light orange-yellow Biaxial negative. 

Y 2.10 Deep red 2F52°calcd. 

Z = b 2. 23 Deeper red Indices probably vary according to water content.

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of type material:

Major V

Minor Si Ca Fe Al

Trace K Mg Na Nb Ba Pb

Occurrence and associated minerals: In highly oxidized ore; same as

for hewettite. 

Identification: Color, except from hewettite, and sodium analogue of

hewettite. U. S. Nat. Mus. type material gives same X-ray

pattern as hewettite. (See hewettite and discussion on p. 46.)

Locality: Yellow Cat group, Thompsons district. Although reported from 

Cactus Rat group, Thompsons district, several specimens from there are

known to be sodium rather than calcium vanadate 

HUMMERITE ls

K2Mg2V10028 .16H2 0

Crystal system: Triclinic.

Habit: Finely crystalline aggregates or massive. Crystals formed by 

evaporation of water solution are elongated parallel to [001] or 

tabular parallel to (lOO).

« Barnes, W. H., and Qurashi, M. M., 1952, p. 411.

'« Reported by Hillebrand, Merwin, and Wright (1914) on fully hydrated metabewettite but not found 

la recent study of "metahewettite."

» First collected by Stleflf, Stern, and Qirhard in 1949 from the Hummer workings of Jo Dandy group of 

mines and studied by Weelrs, Cisney, and Sherwood (1950). Named from the first locality.
VANADIUM MINERALS 51

Physical properties:

Color: Bright orange; may develop greenish tint on exposure to sunlight.

Streak yellow. 

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Subadamantine on fresh surface, dulls on exposure. 

Cleavage: {010} and {OOl} distinct. Brittle. 

Hardness: About 2. 

Specific gravity: 2.55. 

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 8.3, M 9.7, M 2.76, W 7.5.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION U

X 1.771 ±0.003 Biaxial negative

Y- 1.812±0.003 2F70°.

7Ac=32° 1. 833±0.003 Dispersion strong r>v

Analysis: Chemical analysis of recrystallized material from North 

Star mine:

V2 06 V2 04 MgO .K2 0 Total H2 0 Total 

64.33 1.36 5. 44 6. 96 21.88 99. 97

Occurrence and associated minerals: As vein fillings with columnar 

structure perpendicular to the vein wall (similar to occurrence of 

gypsum in seams). Also as granular crusts coating or cementing 

sandstone, in highly oxidized ore zone. 

Associated with hewettite and vanadium clay.

Identification: X-ray powder pattern or spectrographic analysis 

necessary to distinguish from pascoite. Orange color and solubility in water distinguish from all others.

Localities: Jo Dandy group, Bull Canyon district; North Star mine, Uravan 

district; Mesa No. 1 mine, Shiprock district and Whitney mine. Uravan 

district.

MELANOVANADITE

2CaO.2V2 04 .3V206 (probably contains H2016 )

Crystal system: Triclinic.16

Habit: Velvety, divergent bunches of crystals elongated [001]; the

prism faces usually rounded or striated. 

Physical properties:

Color: Black; streak dark reddish brown.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Almost submetallic.

Cleavage: {010} perfect. Brittle.

Hardness: 2%.

Specific gravity: Commonly less than 3.0.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 8.5, S 4.21, M 2.99.

" Barnes, W. H., and Qurashi, M. M., 1952, p. 417.
52 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION 71 PLEOCHROISM

X 1. 73 Light reddish brown Biaxial negative.

YAc. 15° 1. 96 Deep reddish brown 2V medium

Z 1. 98 Dark reddish brown

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from Mesa 

No. 1 mine, Ariz.:

Major V

Minor Ca Fe

Trace Si Al Na Mg

Occurrence and associated minerals: At Mesa No. 1 mine, coarsely 

crystalline aggregates in clay with marcasite. At Mesa No. 5 

mine, impregnating sandstone. At Jumper mine rosettes on 

fracture in sandstone. In oxidized ore associated with tyuyamunite, pascoite, hummerite, and rossite. The first occurrence of 

melanovanadite in the United States was at Mesa No. 1 mine 

found by A. Rosenzweig of Atomic Energy Commission in 1951.

Identification: Distinguished from montroseite and other lowvalence vanadium minerals by pleochroism and by low specific 

gravity.

Localities: Mesa No. 1 mine, Shiprock district, Mesa No. 5 mine, Shiprock 

district, and Juniper mine, Thompsons district.

MONTROSEITE 17 

VO(OH) or (V,Fe)0(OH)

Crystal system: Orthorhombic, dipyramidal.

Habit: Microscopic bladed and prismatic crystals. Also in compact 

crystalline aggregates.

Physical properties:

Color; Black; streak black.

Fluorescence: None. 

Luster: Submetallic.

Cleavage: Perfect parallel { 100}. Brittle. 

Hardness: Soft.

Specific gravity: 4.0 (meas.) 4.1 (calcd.)

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 4.29, M 2.65, W 3.39.

Optical properties: Opaque (even on thin edges).

Analysis: Partial ckemical analysis of 120 mg of material frOIH Bittd 

Creek mine:

FeO Y2O3 V2 04 H2 0 Total

.8.8 10.5 72.3 5.0 96.6

» First collected by Stlefi, Stern, and Girhard in 1849 from Bitter Creek mine. Described by Weeks, 

Cisney, and Sherwood (1963). Crystal structure study by H. T. Evans and S. Block (1953) showed the 

correct formula to be as given above. Named from Montrose County, Colo., where Bitter Creek mine 

is located.
VANADIUM MINERALS 53

Occurrence and associated minerals: Occurs in unoxidized, black, 

uranium-vanadium ore, impregnating sandstone or as relatively 

pure masses in sandstone, associated with pyrite, barite, pitchblende and a new black U mineral. In oxidized zone alters to 

corvusite and hewettite.

Identification: X-ray powder pattern. Distinguished from other lowvalence V minerals by blacker color and from melanovanadite and 

corvusite by greater density, opacity, and blacker streak.

Localities: Bitter Creek mine, Whitney mine, and Virgin mine, Uravan district; 

Matchless mine, Gateway district; Juniper mine, Thompsons district; Rex 

No. 2 mine, Temple Mountain portion of San Rafael district, Mi Vida mine, 

Monticello district.

NAVAJOITE

V205 -3H20

Crystal system: Monoclinic (?). 

Habit: Fibrous, silky, elongated [0101. 

Physical properties:

Color: Dark brown; brown streak.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Silky

Cleavage:

Hardness: Soft.

Specific gravity: 2.56 measured.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 12.1, M 10.7, M 2.91.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION . PLEOCHROISM

X 1.905 ±0.003 Yellowish brown Biaxial negative

Y « 2. 02 Light yellowish brown

7 = b >2. 02 Dark brown

Analysis: Of sample from Arizona. Analyst: A. M. Sherwood.

VaOs V2 04 Fe2 03 CaO Si02 H2 0 Total 

71. 68 3. 08 3.58 0.22 1.20 20. 3 100.06

Occurrence and associated minerals: Fibrous coating in crescent shape 

above and below pebbles in conglomerate; cross fibers Ke to % inch 

long rilling fractures in sandstone or siltstones; with rauvite, 

corvusite, steigerite, and hewettite.

Identification: Darker brown and higher indices of refraction than 

hewettite. X-ray powder pattern.

Locality: Monument No. 2 mine, Monument Valley district, Arizona. Mineral 

named for Navajo Indian Reservation on which the Monument No. 2 mine is 

located. First sample collected by A. Rosenzweig, Atomic Energy Commission, in 1951. Material for chemical analysis and X-ray study collected by 

A. D. Weeks 1951 and 1952. Described by Weeks, Thompson, and Sherwood 

(1954).
54 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

NEW VANADIUM OXIDE

(probably V+3 and V+4, hydrated)

Crystal system:

Habit: Massive, fibrous, radial aggregates, in veinlets along grain of

mineralized wood. 

Physical properties:

Color: Nearly black with bronze tint; bronze in polished section. 

Fluorescence: None. 

Luster: Adamantine.

Cleavage: One perfect.

Hardness:

Specific gravity: 3.25 ±.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 4.72, S 2.47, M 3.83, M 3.17.

Optical properties: Opaque.

Analysis: No analysis of pure material is yet available.

Occurence and associated minerals: Occurs with new black U mineral 

and another new V oxide 18 at La Sal No. 2 mine and with clausthalite and pitchblende at Corvusite mine. First found by 

L. R. Stieff and T. W. Stern in August 1951 at La Sal No. 2 mine, 

report in preparation.

Identification: X-ray powder pattern, not as black or heavy as montroseite, heavier than melanovanadite.

Localities: La Sal No. 2 mine, Gateway district; Mi Vida mine, Monticello district; Corvusite mine, Gateway district

PASCOITE

Ca2V9O17 -llH2O 

Crystal system: Triclinic.

Habit: As granular crusts, rarely showing minute lathlike crystals

with, oblique terminations.

Physical properties:

Color: Dark red-orange io yellow-orange.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Vitreous to subadamantine.

Cleavage: { 010} distinct. Fracture conchoidal.

Hardness: «2&

Specific gravity: 2.46.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 8.7, M 7.4, W 9.4, W 4.69.

" Another new V mineral was found with this one at La Sal No. 2 mine. It is known only from the X-ray

powder pattern and single crystal.X-ray photographs token from a few microscopic crystals. The intensities

are consistent with an atomic arrangement that contains elements of the montroseitG structure and the

rutile-type structure of artificial VOz. It is orthorhombic and its formula is probably VjOs-VjOi-HsO (personal communication, H. T. Evans, U. S. Geological Survey).
VANADIUM MINERALS 55

Optical properties:

n PLEOCHBOISM

X 1.775±0.005 Light cadmium yellow Biaxial negative

Y 1.815 ±0.005 Cadmium yellow Crossed dispersion strong

Z 1.825 ±0.005 Orange

2V 50°-56°

Optic plane is J. {010}

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of mineral from Mesa 

No. 1 mine, Ariz.:

Major V Ca

Minor Fe

Trace Na Al Mg Si

Occurrence and associated minerals: Coating mine walls and open 

fractures; in oxidized zone; coating montroseite, melanovanadite, 

and other vanadium minerals.

Identification: X-ray powder pattern or spectrographic analysis 

necessary to distinguish from hummerite. Orange color and 

solubility in water distinguish it from all others.

Localities: Mesa No. 1 mine, Shiprock district; Bitter Creek mine and Mill No. 1 

mine, Uravan district; Corvusite mine, and La Sal No. 2 mine, Gateway 

district; Hawkeye mine, Slick Rock district; Black Ape mine, Thompsons 

district.

ROSCOELITE AND VANADIUM HYDROMICA 19

(Al,V)2 (AlSi3 )(K,Na)010 (OH,F)2

Crystal system: Monoclinic. 

Habit: Massive. 

Physical properties:

Color: Green, gray, tan, brown.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Pearly.

Cleavage: Basal.

Hardness: Soft.

Specific gravity:

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 10.0, S 3.34, M 4.50, M 2.59.

Optical properties:

Transparent if finely divided. Birefringent. 

Analysis: Roscoelite from Placerville, Colo. (Fischer, Haff, and

Eominger, 1947, p. 124). Analyst, V. North:

SiO» A12 03 FeO V2 03 MgO CaO K2 0 Na2 0 H2 0 Rem. Total

44. 81 18. 42 1. 58 20. 41 0. 83 0. 20 8. 28 0. 07 4. 40 0. 75 99. 73

Less 0=F 0.06

99.67

19 Hydromica contains less potassium and is more hydrated than roscoelitc.
56 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Occurrence and associated minerals: Impregnating sandstone and 

replacing clay pellets and stringers. Associated with corvusite, 

hewettite, carnotite, tyuyamunite, and other vanadium (+5) 

minerals in the oxidized zone.

Identification: Although the X-ray powder pattern distinguishes 

this pair from other vanadium minerals, commonly it does not 

distinguish between these two minerals. Also, some "vanadium 

clay ore" probably consists of hydromica with included vanadium 

oxides. (M. D. Foster, U. S. Geological Survey)

Localities: Districts: Gateway, Placerville, Thompsons, Uravan, Paradox, Bull 

Canyon, Gypsum Valley, and Slick Rock.

ROSSITE

CaV208 -4H2 0

Crystal system: Triclinic.

Habit: Glassy lumps surrounded by flaky alteration rims of metarossite; thin seams in sandstone or shale. 

Physical properties:

Color: Yellow to pale yellow.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Vitreous to somewhat pearly.

Cleavage: {010} good. Brittle.

Hardness: 2-3.

Specific gravity: 2.45.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.3, S 6.66, S 3.87.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION n

X 1.710 Biaxial negative (?)

FAb«45° 1.770 2V large

Z«c 1.840 Dispersion very strong

Yellow in transmitted light

Analysis: No new analysis. (See Dana, 7th ed.) 

Occurrence and associated minerals: Secondary coatings and veinlets, 

in oxidized zone, with metarossite. USNM samples of rossite

described in 1927 have all dehydrated (1950) to metarossite.

Identification: Optical properties, color. Soluble in hot water. 

This dehydrates readily to metarossite.

Localities: Bull Pen Canyon, Slick Rock district; Mesa No. 1 mine, Shiprock 

district.

METAROSSITE

CaV2 06 -2H2O

Crystal system:

Habit: Soft and friable, platy to flaky masses in veinlets.

Physical properties:

Color: Very light yellow, pale greenish yellow. 

Fluorescence: None.
' VANADIUM MINERALS 57

 Luster: More pearly than rossite. 

Cleavage: Hardness: Soft. 

 Specific gravity:

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 5.9, S 5.1, M 3.05.

Optical properties:

X

Y

Z

n

1.840

>1. 85

>1. 85

Biaxial positive

2V large

Dispersion strong

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from 

Buckhorn claim :

Major V

Minor Ca

Trace Al Si Nb Fe Mg

Occurrence and associated minerals: Same as for rossite. 

Identification: Color, optical properties. Soluble in hot water.

Localities: Buckhorn claim, Slick Rock district; Spring Creek, Brushy Basin, 

Monticello district.

SODIUM ANALOGUE OF HEWETTITE

Na2V6016 -3H2 0 or (Na, K) 2 0-2KV2 05 -3H2 0

Crystal system: Monoclinic.

Habit: Bladed or acicular; botryoidal.

Physical properties:

Color: Deep red; brownish red on exposure.

Fluorescence: None. ' Luster: Adamantine, dulls on exposure.

Cleavage :

Hardness:

Specific gravity:

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: VS 7.97, S 3.13, S 2.27.

Optical properties:

ORIENTATION U PLEOCHKO1SM

X 1.797 ±0.003 Yellow

Y- >2. 0 Orange-yellow Biaxial negative

Z = b >2. 0 Orange-red 2V medium

Analysis: Chemical analysis of material from Cactus Rat incline. 

Analyst, A. M. Sherwood:

V2 04 V2 05 NasO K2 0 CaO Acid insol. H2 0- H2 0+ Total 

. 1. 56 77, 17 9. 17 1. 35 0. 12 0. 31 1. 83 7. 86 99. 37

Occurrence and associated minerals : Coating a fracture in the roof of

the Cactus Rat incline, with steigerite. 

Identification: By color, except from hewettite. By X-ray or spectroscopic analysis from hewettite.
58 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS

Localities: The first sample was collected by Benjamin Webber from the Thompsons district, during World War II and loaned to the writers by L. B. Riley. 

The second sample was collected by J. Stone in July 1952, from Cactus Rat 

incline, Thompsons district. Described by Weeks, Thompson, and Sherwood, manuscript in preparation.

STEIGERITE

.A12 (VO4) 2 -6KH20

Crystal system:

Habit: As canary-yellow pulverulent coatings that are variously 

composed of cryptocrystalline fibrous material resembling chalcedony, gumlike masses, and occasionally flat plates.

Physical properties:

Color: Canary yellow.

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Waxy in compact aggregates.

Cleavage:

Hardness:

Specific gravity:

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 10.5, S 12.4, W 5.6.

Optical properties:

Mean index 1.710 ±0.005

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis of material from 

Cactus Rat incline:

Major V

Minor Al Ca

Trace U Na Fe*Si

Occurrence and associated minerals: In highly oxidized ore at Cactus 

Rat, coatings on highly weathered sandstone, with sodium 

analogue of hewettite.

Identification: Color and lack of radioactivity.

Locality: Original locality: north wall of Gypsum Valley, Gypsum Valley district.

Cactus Rat incline, Thompsons district; Monument No. 2 mine, Monument

Valley district; Fox mine, Uravan district.

VOLBORTHITE

Cu3 (VO4 )2 -3H2O(?) - 

Crystal system: Monoolinic (?).

Habit: As scaly, spongy, or fibrous crusts and as rosettelike aggregates; 

also reticulated. Some as scales with a triangular or hexagonal 

outline.

Physical properties:

Color: Dark olive green to green and yellowish green. 

Fluorescence: None.
VANADIUM MINERALS 59

Luster: Vitreous to pearly on the cleavage. 

Cleavage: One perfect. 

Hardness: 3%. 

Specific gravity: 3.5 3.8.

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.2, M 2.88, M 2.56, M 2.39, 

M 1.51.

Optical properties:

n COLOE

X 2. 01 Green to greenish yellow in Biaxial positive red 

Y 2. 05 transmitted light. Biaxial negative violet 

Z 2. 10 2V 68° Li, 83° Na

r^>v inclined

Analysis: Qualitative spectrographic analysis on material from 

Daggett County, Utah:

Major Cu V Si

Minor Ba Al

Trace Ca Mg Nb Fe

Occurrence and associated minerals: Coating joint and fracture surfaces in sandstone, with gypsum.

Identification: The distinction between volborthite and calciovolborthite is not well established. Test for V and Cu, and negative

U test.

Localities: Radium No. 5 mine, San Juan No. 3 mine, and Cougar mine, Slick 

Rock district.

CALCIOVOLBORTHITE

(Cu,Ca)2 (V04 )(OH) 

Crystal system: Orthorhombic (?). 

Habit: As scaly aggregates; also fibrous to dense. 

Physical properties:

Color: Yellow-green, olive green. 

Fluorescence: None.

Luster: Vitreous to pearly on the cleavage. 

Cleavage: One perfect. 

Hardness: 3KSpecific gravity:

Strongest lines of X-ray powder pattern: S 7.2, M 2.88, M 2.56, M 2.39, 

M 1.51.

Optical properties:

n PLEOCHKOISM

X 2.00 Brown Biaxial negative.

Y 2. 01 Brown 2V large

Z 2. 02 Green r>y strong

Analysis:

Occurrence and associated minerals: Coating on sandstone, with 

tyuyamunite and conichalcite.
60

Identification: The distinction between calciovolborthite and volborthite is not well established.

Locality: Richardson Basin, Moab district.

TABLE 2. List of mine and mining district names showing county and State

Mine or district County State ' Arrowhead mme-_------__-_-_-_-- Mesa__________________'_ Colo.

Bitter Creek mine._______________ Montrose________________ Colo.

Black Ape mine_______-_--_-____- Grand__________________ Utah

Black Mama mine._______________ Mesa___________________ Colo.

Blue Jay mine_--____-_-----_-__- San Juan________________ Utah

Buckhorn claim._________________ San MigueL_____________ Colo.

Bull Canyon district-_____________ Montrose, San Miguel____ Colo.

Bull Pen Canyon (area)-.-.-.----- San Miguel _____ _ ___ Colo.

Cactus Rat group.--__---^---_-_- Grand---_!__-__________ Utah

Camp Bird No. 13 mine___________ Emery-_________________ Utah

Cato Sells mine__--____--_--_-__- Apache._______________ Ariz.

Coal Canyon (area)_______-_----__ Fall River_______________ S. Dak.

Cobalt No. 2 mine______________ Grand_-_-____________-_ Utah

Corvusite mine__-___--_-----_-___ Grand----____-_____-_-- Utah

Cougar mine_________--_--_---___ San Miguel__________.___ Colo.

Crabapple claim______-__--_--___- San Juan________________ Utah

Craven Canyon (area)____________ Fall River.______________ S. Dak.

Denise No. 1 mine______-_-___-__- Emery__________________ Utah

Fox mine________-______-_____-_- Montrose_-________-_-- Colo.

Frey No. 4 mine________________ San Juan______-________- Utah

Gateway district-.---.---.------- Mesa---__-_-_____------ Colo..

	Grand.__-____-_______-- Utah

Grants district--.-..------------- McKinley, Valencia__.__ N. Mex.

Grey Dawn mine.________________ San Juan._______________ Utah

Gypsum Valley district__________ San Miguel______________ Colo.

Green River district-_____________ Grand, Emery, Wayne____ Utah

Happy Jack mine-_____-__--_---__ San Juan_-________-_---- Utah

Hawkeye mine______- ---------- San Miguel__-__-_____-__ Colo.

Haystack Mountain area._____._-. McKinley_______________ N. Mex.

Henry Mountains district____-.__ Garfield, Wayne________ Utah

Hideout (Tiger) mine.--.-.------- San Juan_____.-_--_---_- Utah

Hillside mine__________-__. _______ Yavapai_______________ Ariz.

Hummer mine_ __________________ Montrose_____ ___________ Colo.

Huskon No. 2 claim._____________ Cocomno----_--_-------- Ariz.

Jo Dandy group___'_ ______________ MontrOS6___ _____________ Colo.

Juniper mine________.___--___-_ Grand._________________ Utah

Laguna area.._____-_--__---_---- Valencia.--_________---_ N. Mex.

La Sal No. 2 mine._______________ Mesa.______--______--_- Colo.

Little Colorado district______.__- Coconino, Navajo.-.---.- Ariz.

Little Muriel mine________________ San Miguel_____________ _ Colo.

Lucky Strike No. 2 mine_ _________ Emery_ _________________ Utah

Luskarea.-----...-....-.------- Niobrara- --...- ---- Wyo.

Markey No. 3 mine__________--_-_ San Juan________________ Utah

Marshbank Canyon mine________ Emery._______.__._-__-- Utah

Matchless mine.._________________ Mesa__-__-__--__-_-____ Colo.

McCoy group____________________ Grand________'__________ Utah
MINES AND DISTRICTS 61

Mine or district County State

Mesa No. 1 mine__-_-_-_--------- Apache_---_-_-_-________ Ariz.

Mesa No. 5 mine_---_------------ Apache________________ Ariz.

Mill No. 1 mine_____--_---------- Montrose______________ Colo.

Mineral Ten mine._______________ San Juan._______________ Utah

Mi Vida mine_________-__----__-_ San Juan________________ Utah

Moab district.____.____-_---_____ Grand, San Juan.________ Utah

Monticello district----------.----. San Juan________________ Utah

Monument No. 2 mine____________ Apache____-___._-_-__-__ Ariz.

Monument Valley district-________ Navajo, Apache__________ Ariz.

	San Juan_____________-_. Utah

North Point-Gonway claim._______ San Juan_-______________ Utah

North Star mine________________ Montrose________.__-.- Colo.

Notch mine-____------------_---- San Juan________________ Utah

Opera Box mine..---------_______ Montrose______________ Colo.

Oyler mine...-__--_---_--------_ Wayne__________________ Utah

Paradox district..-.-------.------- Montrose______________ Colo.

	San Juan_.______________ Utah

Parco No. 25 mine_-..--..i.--.- Grand-__-_-____-_--_-_- Utah

Pay Day mine_____---------.__-_ Emery..________________ Utah

Placerville district--__-_---__-____ San Miguel._____________ Colo.

Polar Mesa__--__---------_----_- Grand_______--______--- Utah

Posey mine_-_____-----_-_-__-___ San Juan..._____________ Utah

Pumpkin Buttes area.____________ Campbell___________ _ _ Wyo.

Radium No. 5 mine ___________ San MigueL..-_______-_- Colo.

Red Canyon (area)_-__-_-___-____ Fall River.__.__._______- S. Dak.

Rex No. 2 mine_.._---_---__.___ Emery._____________ Utah

Richardson Basin. _____________ Grand... _______________ Utah

Road Hog No. 3A claim_________ Fall River..____.-._-__ . S. Dak.

San Juan No. 3 mine _________ San Miguel______________ Colo.

San Rafael district_____-_-.__.__ Emery.}r______--_-____- Utah

Shinarump No. 1 mine____._______ Grand___-___---__-___-- Utah

Shinarump No. 3 mine.-__---_____ Grand____.__.__--__-_-- Utah

Shiprock district..-_-----__-._-___ San Juan..._____________ N. Mex.

	Apache________________ Ariz.

	San Juan_________---_--- Utah

Skinny No. 1 mine______________ Grand__--____---_-__-_- Utah

Skyline mine--_____-____-___..___ San Juan_____________-_- Utah

Slick Rock district-..---..--._____. San Miguel, Dolores._____ Colo.

Small Spot mine___-_____.._-______ Mesa________--_--___-_- Colo.

Sodaroll claim__________________ San Juan________-___.-_- Utah

Spring Creek in Brushy Basin._____ San Juan._______________ Utah

Temple Mountain area.___________ Emery__________________ Utah

Thorn claim___________________ Grand-__-______--_-_-_- Utah

Thompsons district.______________ Grand._________________ Utah

Tiny mine__.____________________ San Miguel___--_______._ Colo.

Uravan district_________________ Montrose______________ Colo.

Virgin mine____________________ Montrose______________ Colo.

White Canyon district.___________ San Juan_______________- Utah

White Canyon No. 1 mine_________ San Juan____'___.____-__- Utah

Whitney mine_.___--_-_________ Montrose________..___- Colo.

Wild Steer mine..________________ Montrose______________ Colo.

Yellow Cat group-----.-----.---.. Grand..-._.._______ Utah
62 URANIUM AND VANADIUM MINERALS FROM COLORADO PLATEAUS 

LITERATURE CITED

Axelrod, J. M., Grimaldi, F. S., Milton, Charles, and Murata, K. J., 1951, The

uranium minerals from the Hillside mine, Yavapai County, Ariz.: Am.

Mineralogist, v. 36, p. 1-22. 

Barnes, W. H., and Qurashi, M. M., 1952, Unit cell and space group data for

certain vanadium minerals: Am. Mineralogist, v. 37, p. 407-422. 

Evans, H. T., Jr., and Block, Stanley, 1953, The crystal structure of montroseite,

a vanadium member of the diaspore group: Am. Mineralogist, v. 38, p. 1242-

1250. 

Fischer, R. P., Haff, J. C., Rominger, J. F., 1947, Vanadium deposits near Placerville, San Miguel County, Colo.: Colorado Sci. Soc. Proc., v. 15, p. 115-134. 

Frondel, J. W., and Fleischer, Michael, 1952, A glossary of uranium- and thoriumbearing minerals: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 194. 

Garrels, R. M., 1953, Some thermodynamic relations among the vanadium oxides

and their relations to the oxidation state of the uranium ores of the Colorado

Plateaus: Am. Mineralogist, v. 38, p. 1251-1265. 

George, d'Arcy, 1949, Mineralogy of uranium and thorium minerals: RMO-563,

Atomic Energy Comm., Tech. Inf. Service, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 

Grimaldi, F. S., May, Irving, and Fletcher, M. H., 1952, U. S. Geological Survey

fluorimetric methods of uranium analysis: U. S. Geol. Survey Circ. 199. 

Gruner, J. W., and Gardiner, Lynn, 1952, Mineral associations in the uranium

deposits of the Colorado Plateau and adjacent regions with special emphasis

on those in the Shinarump formation, part 3 Annual Rept. July 1, 1951 

June 30, 1952: RMO-566, Atomic Energy Comm., Tech. Inf. Service, Oak

Ridge, Tenn. 

Hess, F. L., 1925, New and known minerals from the Utah-Colorado carnotite

region: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 750, p. 63-78. 

Hess, F. L., and Henderson, E. P., 1931, Fervanite, a hydrous ferric vanadate:

Am. Mineralogist, v. 16, p. 273-277. 

Hess, F. L., and Schaller, W. T., 1914, Pintadoite and uvanite, two new vanadium

minerals from Utah, a preliminary note: Washington Acad. Sci. Jour., v. 4,

p. 576-579. 

Hillebrand, W. F., Merwin, H. E., and Wright, F. E., 1914, Hewettite, metahewettite, and pascoite, hydrous calcium vanadates: Am. Phil. Soc. Proc., v. 53,

p. 31-54. 

Palache, Charles, Berman, Harry, and Frondel, Clifford, 1944, 1951, Dana's

system of mineralogy, 7th ed., v. 1 and 2, New York, John Wiley and Sons,

Inc.

stem, T. W., and Weeks, A. D., 1952, Second occurrence of bayleyite in the

United States: Am. Mineralogist, v. 37, p. 1058-1060. 

Stich, J. N., 1953, Spectrographic identification of mineral grains: U. S. Geol.

Survey Circ. 234. 

Waring, C. L., and Annell, C. S., 1953, Semiquantitative spectro5raphic method

for analysis of minerals, rocks, and ores: Anal. Chemistry, v. 25, p. 1174^1179. 

Weeks, A. D., Cisney, E. A., and Sherwood, A. M., 1950, Hummerite and mon- troseite, two new vanadium minerals from Montrose county, coio. [abs.]:

Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 61, p. 1513.

Weeks, A. D., Cisney, E. A., and Sherwood, A. M., 1953, Montroseite, a new

vanadium oxide from the Colorado Plateaus: Am. Mineralogist, v. 38, p.

1235-1241.

Weeks, A. D., Thompson, M. E. and Sherwood, A. M., 1954, Navajoite, a 

new vanadium oxide from Arizona [abs.]: Science, v. 119, p. 326.

U. S. GOVERNMENT POINTING OFFICE: 1954