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Uranopolycrase

A valid IMA mineral species

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Photos of Uranopolycrase (45)Discuss Uranopolycrase

Uranopolycrase Gallery Search Photos of Uranopolycrase

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Uranopolycrase

San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy

Uranopolycrase

Balma Oro Quarry, Montoso Quarries, Bagnolo Piemonte, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

Uranopolycrase

Balma Oro Quarry, Montoso Quarries, Bagnolo Piemonte, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

Uranopolycrase

San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy

Uranopolycrase

Balma Oro Quarry, Montoso Quarries, Bagnolo Piemonte, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

Uranopolycrase

Balma Oro Quarry, Montoso Quarries, Bagnolo Piemonte, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

Uranopolycrase

San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy

Uranopolycrase

Balma Oro Quarry, Montoso Quarries, Bagnolo Piemonte, Cuneo Province, Piedmont, Italy

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About UranopolycraseHide

Formula:

(U⁴⁺,Y)(Ti,Nb)₂O₆

Colour:

Brown-red

Lustre:

Adamantine

Hardness:

5 - 6

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Member of:

Euxenite Group

Name:

Named as the uranium-dominant analogue of polycrase-(Y).

Type Locality:

ⓘ Fonte del Prete, San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy

Type material is almost totally metamict.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

4109

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:4109:2

IMA Classification of UranopolycraseHide

IMA status:

Approved

IMA status notes:

Redefined by the IMA

IMA Formula:

UTi₂O₆

Approval year:

1990

First published:

1993

Approval history:

Redefined by IMA in 2022, special procedure, as part of the establishment of the columbite supergroup.

Classification of UranopolycraseHide

Strunz-mindat (2025):

4.DG.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
G : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra

Dana 8th ed.:

8.3.8.5

8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
3 : AB₂O₆

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Uplc	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of UranopolycraseHide

Lustre:

Adamantine

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Brown-red

Hardness:

5 - 6 on Mohs scale

Hardness:

VHN₂₀=659 kg/mm² - Vickers

Cleavage:

Distinct/Good
{100}

Optical Data of UranopolycraseHide

Bireflectance:

None observed

Reflectivity:

Wavelength	R₁ (%)
470nm	23.6%
546nm	21.5%
589nm	22.3%
650nm	25.1%

Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 25.1%.

Colour in reflected light:

Pale grey with bluish tones.

Internal Reflections:

Weak, dark-brown red on the rims of crystal fragments only.

Pleochroism:

Not Visible

Chemistry of UranopolycraseHide

Mindat Formula:

(U⁴⁺,Y)(Ti,Nb)₂O₆

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
U	55.387 %
O	22.337 %
Ti	22.276 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Nb, O, Ti, U, Y - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Common Impurities:

Th,Mn,Ca,Nd,TR

Crystallography of UranopolycraseHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal

Space Group:

Pbcn

Cell Parameters:

a = 14.51(1) Å, b = 5.558(5) Å, c = 5.173(4) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 2.611 : 1 : 0.931

Unit Cell V:

417.18 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Tabular on {100} and elongated parallel to [001].
Observed forms include {100}, {010}, {011}.

Comment:

Crystalline only after heating at 900°C for 10 h; originally metamict.

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0006507	Uranopolycrase	Aurisicchio C, Orlandi P, Pasero M, Perchiazzi N (1993) Uranopolycrase, the uranium-dominant analogue of polycrase-(Y), a new mineral from Elba Island, Italy, and its crystal structure European Journal of Mineralogy 5 1161-1165		1993	Elba Island, Italy	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Uranopolycrase'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Aurisicchio C'
'Orlandi P'
'Pasero M'
'Perchiazzi N'
_journal_name_full 'European Journal of Mineralogy'
_journal_volume 5 
_journal_year 1993
_journal_page_first 1161
_journal_page_last 1165
_publ_section_title
;
 Uranopolycrase, the uranium-dominant analogue of polycrase-(Y),
 a new mineral from Elba Island, Italy, and its crystal structure
;
_database_code_amcsd 0006507
_chemical_compound_source 'Elba Island, Italy'
_chemical_formula_sum 'U.62 Y.29 Th.07 Mn.03 Ca.02 Nd.01 Ti1.46 Nb.36 Ta.12 O6'
_cell_length_a 14.51
_cell_length_b 5.558
_cell_length_c 5.173
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 417.185
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      6.600
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P b c n'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  'x,-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,y,1/2-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2+y,z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,-z'
  '1/2+x,1/2+y,1/2-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
U   0.00000   0.22660   0.25000   0.62000   0.01368
Y   0.00000   0.22660   0.25000   0.29000   0.01368
Th   0.00000   0.22660   0.25000   0.07000   0.01368
Mn   0.00000   0.22660   0.25000   0.03000   0.01368
Ca   0.00000   0.22660   0.25000   0.02000   0.01368
Nd   0.00000   0.22660   0.25000   0.01000   0.01368
Ti   0.16900   0.32220   0.81520   0.73000   0.00798
Nb   0.16900   0.32220   0.81520   0.18000   0.00798
Ta   0.16900   0.32220   0.81520   0.06000   0.00798
O1   0.09200   0.43300   0.52600   1.00000   0.00253
O2   0.08400   0.09600   0.91600   1.00000   0.01013
O3   0.25700   0.13500   0.64700   1.00000   0.00633
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
U 0.01300 0.01600 0.01200 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Y 0.01300 0.01600 0.01200 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Th 0.01300 0.01600 0.01200 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Mn 0.01300 0.01600 0.01200 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Ca 0.01300 0.01600 0.01200 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Nd 0.01300 0.01600 0.01200 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
Ti 0.00900 0.00500 0.01000 0.00100 0.00100 -0.00100
Nb 0.00900 0.00500 0.01000 0.00100 0.00100 -0.00100
Ta 0.00900 0.00500 0.01000 0.00100 0.00100 -0.00100

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
2.99 Å	(100)
2.78 Å	(25)
1.90 Å	(50)
1.77 Å	(35)
1.48 Å	(40)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Near-surface Processes
26 : Hadean detrital minerals
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
34 : Complex granite pegmatites

Type Occurrence of UranopolycraseHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Fonte del Prete, San Piero in Campo, Campo nell'Elba, Livorno Province, Tuscany, Italy

General Appearance of Type Material:

Crystals, tabular on {100} crystals and elongated in the [001] direction.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Pegmatite with abundant Nb- Ta minerals and zeolites. Found in the cavities of the fine-grained intermediate zone. As inclusions within beryl.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Albite	Beryl	Elbaite	Euxenite-(Y)	Orthoclase
Polylithionite-Trilithionite Series	Polylithionite-Trilithionite Series	Quartz	Stilbite Subgroup

Synonyms of UranopolycraseHide

IMA1990-046

Other Language Names for UranopolycraseHide

German:Uranopolykras

Russian:Уранополикраз

Relationship of Uranopolycrase to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Euxenite Group

Other Members of Euxenite Group:

Euxenite-(Y)	(Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)₂O₆	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn
Fersmite	CaNb₂O₆	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn
Kobeite-(Y)	(Y,U)(Ti,Nb)₂(O,OH)₆ (?)	Iso.
Loranskite-(Y)	(Y,Ce,Ca)ZrTaO₆ (?)
Tanteuxenite-(Y)	Y(Ta,Nb,Ti)₂(O,OH)₆	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn
Yttrocrasite-(Y)	(Y,Th,Ca,U)(Ti,Fe)₂(O,OH)₆	Amor.

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

8 photos of Uranopolycrase associated with Quartz	SiO₂
2 photos of Uranopolycrase associated with Beryl	Be₃Al₂(Si₆O₁₈)
2 photos of Uranopolycrase associated with Fluorite	CaF₂
2 photos of Uranopolycrase associated with Schorl	NaFe²⁺₃Al₆(Si₆O₁₈)(BO₃)₃(OH)₃(OH)
2 photos of Uranopolycrase associated with Microcline	K(AlSi₃O₈)
2 photos of Uranopolycrase associated with Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)
1 photo of Uranopolycrase associated with Albite	Na(AlSi₃O₈)
1 photo of Uranopolycrase associated with Foitite	◻(Fe²⁺₂Al)Al₆(Si₆O₁₈)(BO₃)₃(OH)₃(OH)
1 photo of Uranopolycrase associated with Pyrite	FeS₂
1 photo of Uranopolycrase associated with Magnetite	Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

4.DG.05	Fersmite	CaNb₂O₆	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn
4.DG.05	Yttrocrasite-(Y)	(Y,Th,Ca,U)(Ti,Fe)₂(O,OH)₆	Amor.
4.DG.05	Tanteuxenite-(Y)	Y(Ta,Nb,Ti)₂(O,OH)₆	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn
4.DG.05	Loranskite-(Y)	(Y,Ce,Ca)ZrTaO₆ (?)
4.DG.05	Euxenite-(Y)	(Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti)₂O₆	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbcn
4.DG.05	Kobeite-(Y)	(Y,U)(Ti,Nb)₂(O,OH)₆ (?)	Iso.
4.DG.10	Yttrotantalite-(Y)	(Y,U,Fe²⁺)(Ta,Nb)(O,OH)₄	Orth.
4.DG.10	Clinofergusonite-(Y)	YNbO₄	Mon. 2/m
4.DG.10	Clinofergusonite-(Nd)	(Nd,Ce)NbO₄	Mon.
4.DG.10	Clinofergusonite-(Ce)	CeNbO₄	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.DG.15	Foordite	Sn²⁺Nb₂O₆	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
4.DG.15	Thoreaulite	Sn²⁺Ta₂O₆	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
4.DG.20	Raspite	Pb(WO₄)	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b

RadioactivityHide

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for UranopolycraseHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-4109.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Look for Uranopolycrase on Wikipedia

Look for Uranopolycrase on Mineralien Atlas

Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

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References for UranopolycraseHide

Reference List:

Aurisicchio, Carlo, Orlandi, Paolo, Pasero, Marco, Perchiazzi, Natale (1993) Uranopolycrase, the uranium-dominant analogue of polycrase-(Y), a new mineral from Elba Island, Italy, and its crystal structure. European Journal of Mineralogy, 5 (6) 1161-1166 doi:10.1127/ejm/5/6/1161

Jambor, J.L., Puziewicz, J., Roberts, A.C. (1994) New mineral names. American Mineralogist: 79: 763-767.

Mandarino, Joseph A. (1997) New Minerals 1990-1994. The Mineralogical Record Inc., Tuscon, Arizona. 220pp.

(2005) Uranopolycrase. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Chukanov, Nikita V., Pasero, Marco, Aksenov, Sergey M., Britvin, Sergey N., Zubkova, Natalia V., Yike, Li, Witzke, Thomas (2023) Columbite supergroup of minerals: nomenclature and classification. Mineralogical Magazine, 87 (1) 18-33 doi:10.1180/mgm.2022.105

Localities for UranopolycraseHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Egypt
Red Sea Governorate ⓘ Gebel Gattar	Helmy

Italy
Lombardy Sondrio Province Novate Mezzola Codera Valley ⓘ Spassato Valley (Arnasca Valley)	Ghizzoni et al. (2005)
Piedmont Cuneo Province Bagnolo Piemonte ⓘ Montoso Quarries	Bruno Marello collection +1 other reference
ⓘ Balma Oro Quarry	Ciriotti et al. (2021)
Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province Toceno Val di Crana Alpe I Motti ⓘ Pioda di Crana	Callegari A. (2002) +2 other references
Tuscany Livorno Province Campo nell'Elba San Piero in Campo ⓘ Fonte del Prete (TL)	Giannettoni L. et al. (1993)
ⓘ Grotta d'Oggi	Adriano Perugini found
ⓘ La Speranza (Pisani's Quarry)	Orlandi et al. (1997)
ⓘ Rosina vein (Rosina pegmatite)	Orlandi et al. (1997)

Mexico
Oaxaca San Francisco Telixtlahuaca Municipality San Francisco Telixtlahuaca ⓘ Muerto Mine	Prol-Ledesma et al. (2012)

Norway
Nordland Hamarøy Finnøya ⓘ Håkonhals Quarry ?	Zhou et al. (2022) +1 other reference
Østfold Sarpsborg Ryen ⓘ Ryen Quarry ?	Kristiansen (2022) +1 other reference

Slovakia
Košice Region Rožňava District ⓘ Gemerská Poloma	Uher P. et al. (2009)
ⓘ Elisabeth Mine	Uher P. et al. (2009)

Switzerland
Grisons Maloja Region Bregaglia Upper Val Bregaglia Stampa ⓘ Drögh dal Frachic	F. Bedogne
Val Forno ⓘ Forno glacier	Stalder et al. (1998)
Valais Goms Binn ⓘ Wanni glacier - Scherbadung area (Monte Cervandone)	Cuchet et al. (2019)
Östlich Raron Grengiols Chummibort ⓘ Ritterpass NE-combe REE-mineralization	Cuchet et al. (2023)

Tajikistan
Gorno-Badakhshan Murghob ⓘ Dorozhnyi pegmatite	Leonid Pautov and Mirak Mirakov ...
Pyandzh River Valley ⓘ Muzeinaya pegmatite vein (Muzeinyi pegmatite)	Pautov et al. (2018)

USA
Colorado Pitkin County Columbia Mining District (Ashcroft Mining District) Independence (Independence Pass) ⓘ Grottos pegmatite	Rudy Bologna
Texas Burnet County ⓘ Cactus Jack pegmatite	Self-collected by Franklin Roberts.

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Uranopolycrase

About UranopolycraseHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of UranopolycraseHide

Classification of UranopolycraseHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of UranopolycraseHide

Optical Data of UranopolycraseHide

Chemistry of UranopolycraseHide

Crystallography of UranopolycraseHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of UranopolycraseHide

Synonyms of UranopolycraseHide

Other Language Names for UranopolycraseHide

Relationship of Uranopolycrase to other SpeciesHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

RadioactivityHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for UranopolycraseHide

References for UranopolycraseHide

Localities for UranopolycraseHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide