Mineralpedia Details for Sklodowskite

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Sklodowskite

Named for Marie Sklodowska-Curie who was a pioneer researcher in the field of radioactivity, along with her husband Pierre. She and her husband coined the term radioactivity and discovered the elements polonium and radium. Additionally Marie Curie is the only person to hold two Nobel Prizes in two different sciences. Sklodoskite is a rare mineral found in just a few localities worldwide as a secondary mineral that forms as a result of silica-rich water on uraninite or other related uranium minerals. Sklodowskite is highly radioactive.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/sklodowskite.pdf

Formula: Mg(UO₂)₂(SiO₃OH)₂·6H₂O
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Crystal Habit: Prismatic
Cleavage: Perfect, None, None
Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Color: greenish yellow, light yellow
Streak: yellow white
Class: Monoclinic - Prismatic
Fracture: Brittle
Hardness: 2-3
WebMineral: View Sklodowskite
Mindat: View Sklodowskite

Sklodowskite from Animas mine, Francisco Portillo, Santa Eulalia dist., Chihuahua, Mexico

Special Info: Phillips Collection

Canary yellow acicular crystals to 4mm, free-standing and as inclusions within the selenite Gypsum.

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Sklodowskite from Musonoi mine, Kolwezi, Shaba Cu belt, DR of Congo

Special Info: Radioactive!!

Bright yellow, bladed crystals to about 1mm lining cavaties with bright green Malachite. Excellent specimen for the secondary uranium collector.

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Sklodowskite from Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo

Special Info: Radioactive!!

Bright yellow radial crystals to 1mm.

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Sklodowskite from Spider mine, Honeycomb Hills, Juab Co., Utah, United States

Special Info: Radioactive!!

Larger specimen with yellow acicular crystal groups of Sklodowskite with yellow noncrystalline Soddyite in sandstone matrix. Radioactive of course. Ex. Charles Lewis collection with tag (see prov. tab)

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Sklodowskite from Mine No. 18, Paliokamariza mines, Laurium, Attica, Greece

Special Info: Fluorescent

A nice yellow 3mm spray in Gypsum. Sklodowskite was the first uranium mineral to be found this locality and reported recently in 2017. It can be distinguished from other uranium minerals such as Uranophane and Boltwoodinte with UV. Much more information can be found on this find on Mindat in the article by Branko Rieck (click here).