Uranium Ore - Uranium Minerals

Uranium Minerals

See also: Uraninite

The primary uranium ore mineral is uraninite (UO2) or pitchblende (UO3, U2O5), commonly collectively referred to as U3O8 (the most stable form). A range of other uranium minerals can be found in various deposits. These include carnotite, the davidite-brannerite-absite type uranium titanates, and the euxenite-fergusonite-samarskite group.

A large variety of secondary uranium minerals are known, many of which are brilliantly coloured and fluorescent. The most common are gummite, autunite (with calcium), saleeite (magnesium) and torbernite (with copper); and hydrated uranium silicates such as coffinite, uranophane (with calcium) and sklodowskite (magnesium).

Uranium Minerals
Primary uranium minerals
Name Chemical Formula
uraninite UO2
pitchblende U3O8, rare U3O7
coffinite U(SiO4)1–x(OH)4x
brannerite UTi2O6
davidite (REE)(Y,U)(Ti,Fe3+)20O38
thucholite Uranium-bearing pyrobitumen
Secondary uranium minerals
Name Chemical Formula
autunite Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 8-12 H2O
carnotite K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 x 1–3 H2O
gummite gum like amorphous mixture of various uranium minerals
seleeite Mg(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 10 H2O
torbernite Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 12 H2O
tyuyamunite Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 x 5-8 H2O
uranocircite Ba(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 8-10 H2O
uranophane Ca(UO2)2(HSiO4)2 x 5 H2O
zeunerite Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2 x 8-10 H2O

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