May 10 2013
Seelite is a magnesium-dominant, arsenate-bearing analogue of dymkovite. The mineral was named after Paul Seel (1904–1982) and Hilde Seel (1902–1987), American collectors of microscopic minerals, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Properties of Seelite
The following are the key properties of seelite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: C2/m
- a = 18.194–18.207
- b = 7.062–7.071
- c = 6.661–6.670
- β = 99.65°-99.70°
- Z = 2
- Crystal Data
- Monoclinic
- Point group: 2/m
- Crystals are tabular, flattened on {100} or {001}, or elongated [010], showing {100}, {001}, {010}, {011}, {011}, to 1 mm; typically in spherules, rosettes, and divergent needles
- X-ray powder pattern: 9.02 (100), 4.48 (80), 3.01 (60), 2.849 (60), 3.28 (50), 4.90 (40), 4.00 (40)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| UO3 |
62.43 |
62.75 |
| As2O5 |
6.67 |
25.52 |
| As2O3 |
13.41 |
- |
| H2O |
13.40 |
[7.34] |
| MgO |
4.09 |
4.39 |
| Total |
[100.00] |
[100.00] |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Biaxial (–)
- Pleochroism: Strong; X = Y = yellow; Z = colorless
- Orientation: Z ^ c = 5(1)°
- Dispersion: r » v, inclined
- α = 1.602–1.610
- β = 1.730–1.737
- γ = 1.740–1.753
- 2V (meas.) = 30°–41°
- 2V(calc.) = 34°–37.5°
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density)= 3.38 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of seelite = 3.70 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PESeelite = 965.43 barns/electron
U=PESeelite x ρelectron density= 3,262.42 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.006858331
Boson index = 0.993141669 |
Radioactivity
|
GRapi = 2,984,810.91 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Seelite is radioactive |
How to Identify Seelite
Seelite can be identified in the field by its yellow color. The appearance of this mineral is transparent to translucent. It is a mineral with a vitreous-glassy luster. The density of seelite is 3.7 g/cm3 and its hardness is 3 approximate to calcite.
Global Distribution
Seelite is widely distributed in the following locations:
- Iran - In the Talmessi mine, 35 km west of Anarak
- France - From the Rab´ejac uranium deposit, seven km south-southeast of Lod`eve, H´erault
- Germany - Black Forest, Endenburg, Heidelwerk copper mine (Schlächtenhaus); Schenkenzell, Böckelsbach valley, Sophia Mine; Wolfach, Rankach valley, Clara Mine
Occurrence of Seelite and Useful Mineral Association
Seelite is often associated with minerals such as annabergite, zaratite, uranospinite and talmessite (Talmessi mine, Iran); zeunerite (Rab´ejac deposit, France).
Seelite occurs as a rare mineral in the oxidation zone of uranium-bearing hydrothermal deposits.
References