Specimens Phosphuranylite is one of many yellow, encrusting, non-fluorescent uranium bearing minerals and is unfortunately difficult to distinguish from the others. It has been found as an actual replacement for wood along with other uranium minerals. The uranium requires a reducing environment in order to precipitate out of solution and rotting, buried wood provides such an environment. Other occurrences of phosphuranylite are the result of alteration of primary uranium minerals such as uraninite , a uranium oxide. Often some black uraninite is left as an interior core surrounded by phosphuranylite and the fluorescent autunite .
Color is deep golden to straw yellow.
Luster is vitreous. Transparency crystals are generally translucent. Crystal Habits include tiny platy crystals, crusts and fossil wood replacement masses. Streak is yellow. Associated Minerals include torbernite , autunite , uraninite and other uranium bearing minerals.