Database of luminescent minerals 

AUTUNITE

Chemical formula: Ca(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂ 11H₂O

Family: Phosphates, Arseniates, Vanadates

Status: IMA-GP

Crystal system : Tetragonal

Display mineral: NON

Luminescence:

Daylight picture

AUTUNITE, Spokane, USA.
Photo and Copyright: Joan Abella i Creus, Spain
Used with permission of the author

Longwave (365nm) picture

AUTUNITE, Spokane, USA. LW (365 nm)
Photo and Copyright: Joan Abella i Creus, Spain Used with permission of the author

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  Go to the galery (9 pictures)

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Phosphorescence (in the common sense of the term) observable with the naked eye:

No phosphorescence visible to the naked eye under any type of UV

Comments:

Named by Henry J. Brooke and William H. Miller in 1854 for the type locality at Saint Symphorien near Autun, Saône-et-Loire, France.

Dehydrates in air to form meta-autunite.

Caution!

The autunite is highly radioactive. Like many uranium minerals (especially micaceous minerals) it is so easily clipped that inevitably a fine dust is formed in the boxes containing it that it is very dangerous to inhale. Avoid flying this dust in the air by brushing it or worse by blowing on it and wash your hands after each handling.

Activator(s) and spectrum:

Activator(s): (UO₂)²⁺ (ion Uranyle) intrinsèque ,

Peaks in the spectrum (nm):

488.6, 504, 524.2, 548, 573.9, 602.4 - (488), 503, 524,(547), 550,(572), 600, (627)

Col. G. Barmarin; Spectre: G. Barmarin

Spectrum of AUTUNITE in CSV

You can download the CSV file by clicking here: fichier csv

Comments on spectrum and activators:

Pics pour la meta-autunite: 488, 501.6, 523.7, 547.2, 573.3, 600.2 ;

Lifetime: 60μs ;

Best localities for fluorescence (*):

• Saint-Symphorien-de-Marmagne uranium deposit, Saint-Symphorien-de-Marmagne, Autun, Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France;
• Margnac II Mine, Compreignac, Bellac, Haute-Vienne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France;
• Daybreak mine (Dahl lease), Mount Kit Carson, near Mt Spokane, Spokane County, Washington, USA;
• Cunha Baixa Mine, Beira Alta Province, Portugal;
• Assunção Mine, Aldeia Nova, Ferreira de Aves, Sátão, Viseu (Sao Vicente), Portugal;
• Krunkelbach Valley Uranium deposit, Menzenschwand, St Blasien, Waldshut, Freiburg Region, Baden-Württemberg, Germany;
• Menzenschwand, St Blasien, Waldshut, Freiburg Region, Baden-Württemberg, Germany;

(*)The data are not exhaustive and are limited to a few remarkable localities for fluorescence

Bibliographic reference for luminescence:

• The Henkel Glossary of Fluorescent Minerals, Dr. Gerhard Henkel, Published by the FMS, 1989 ,
• Fluorescence: Gems and Minerals Under Ultraviolet Light, Manuel Robbins, 1994, Geoscience Press, ISBN 0-945005-13-X ,
• The World of Fluorescent Minerals, Stuart Schneider, Schiffer Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0-7643-2544-2 ,
• Luminescence Spectroscopy of Minerals and Materials, M. Gaft, R. Reisfeld, G. Panczer, Springer Editor, ISBN: 10 3-540-21918-8 ,
• Uranium minerals Website: http://www.uraniumminerals.com ,

Reference for luminescence on the Internet:

Mineralogical reference on the Internet:

  http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Autunite

  http://webmineral.com/data/Autunite.shtml

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