{"title":"Uranophane","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUranophane\u003c\/strong\u003e is a bright yellow \u003cstrong\u003ecalcium uranyl silicate\u003c\/strong\u003e hydrate that forms as a secondary mineral through the oxidation and alteration of \u003cstrong\u003euraninite\u003c\/strong\u003e and other primary uranium ores. Chemically it is Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2·5H2O, and it typically appears as radiating sprays, fibrous tufts, or fine acicular crystals coating matrix, often alongside gummite and other uranium alteration products. As the type species of the \u003cstrong\u003euranophane group\u003c\/strong\u003e, it is closely related to \u003cstrong\u003eboltwoodite\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003esklodowskite\u003c\/strong\u003e, and a rarer polymorph, uranophane-beta, is also recognized by collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClassic, richly crystallized specimens come from the \u003cstrong\u003eMadawaska Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e near Bancroft, \u003cstrong\u003eOntario\u003c\/strong\u003e, long famous for lustrous yellow uranophane on pegmatite matrix. Exceptional Brazilian material is found at \u003cstrong\u003eTeófilo Otoni\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMinas Gerais\u003c\/strong\u003e, where vivid yellow crystals accompany black uraninite, while the \u003cstrong\u003eRössing mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003eNamibia\u003c\/strong\u003e and the legendary \u003cstrong\u003eShinkolobwe\u003c\/strong\u003e deposit in the \u003cstrong\u003eDemocratic Republic of Congo\u003c\/strong\u003e have both yielded historically significant uranophane on uranium-rich matrix.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollectors seek uranophane for its striking canary-yellow color, delicate fibrous habit, and fluorescent glow under shortwave UV light, as well as its importance as a diagnostic secondary uranium mineral. Because it is radioactive, specimens are prized in specialized radioactive-mineral collections and typically kept in small, well-documented lots reflecting locality and crystal quality.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/uranophane.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}