What is Autunite used for?

Autunite is used as a uranium ore. Uranium is used in nuclear fission to generate electricity. It may also be used as a cathode in photoelectric tubes. It was once used for making glazes in the ceramics industry due to its beautiful red color with yellow tinge.

Where is Autunite found?

Mineralpedia Details for Autunite It is a widespread mineral that can be found as excellent specimens in France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, England, the United States, Brazil, and Australia, among several other localities. Autunite is highly radioactive and will fluoresce a yellow-green under ultraviolet light.

What type of rock is Autunite?

Phosphate minerals

What type of radiation does Autunite emit?

gamma radiation
U-minerals not only emit the relatively harmless gamma radiation, but also beta and alpha.

How do you store autunite?

Fine autunite specimens should be stored in a closed container to avoid water loss.

How is autunite formed?

It is formed in the oxidation zones of uranium ore bodies as an alteration product of uraniniteand other uranium-bearing minerals. It also occurs in hydrothermal veins and in pegmatites. Since autunite contains uranium and is radioactive, it must be stored carefully and handled as little as possible.

What is autunite made of?

Autunite, phosphate mineral, hydrated calcium and uranium phosphate [Ca(UO2)2 (PO4)2·10–12H2O], that is an ore of uranium. It forms translucent to transparent, yellow to pale-green crystals, scaly masses, or crusts in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites, where it occurs as an alteration product of uraninite.

Why is autunite radioactive?

Autunite is a radioactive orthorhombic mineral which results from the hydrothermal alteration of uranium minerals. Used as a uranium ore, it was first discovered in France in 1852. To state the obvious, the uranium in its chemical formula provides this radioactivity.

Why is Autunite radioactive?

Are crystals radioactive?

Sometimes it can contain so many radioactive inclusions that its crystal structure is destroyed (metamict). In apatite and titanite, the natural radioactivity is usually less than the natural background radiation….Natural radioactive gemstones.

How do you store Autunite?

How do you identify Carnotites?

Carnotite is a bright to greenish-yellow mineral that occurs typically as crusts and flakes in sandstones. Amounts as low as one percent will color the sandstone a bright yellow. The high uranium content makes carnotite an important uranium ore.