Uranyl carbonate refers to the

inorganic compound In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as ''inorganic chemistr ...

with the formula UO₂CO₃. Also known by its mineral name

rutherfordine Rutherfordine is a mineral containing almost pure uranyl carbonate ( U O2 CO3). It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system in translucent lathlike, elongated, commonly radiating in fibrous, and in pulverulent, earthy to very fine-grained dense ma ...

, this material consists of uranyl (UO₂²⁺) and carbonate (CO₃^2-). Like most uranyl salts, the compound is a polymeric, each uranium(VI) center being bonded to eight O atoms. Hydrolysis products of rutherfordine are also found in both the mineral and organic fractions of

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when dead ...

and its

fly ash Fly ash, flue ash, coal ash, or pulverised fuel ash (in the UK) plurale tantum: coal combustion residuals (CCRs)is a coal combustion product that is composed of the particulates (fine particles of burned fuel) that are driven out of coal-fired ...

and is the main component of uranium in mine tailing seepage water.

Uranyl carbonates as a class of materials

Many uranyl carbonates exist, rutherfordine being the simplest stoichiometry. Most uranyl carbonates additional components including water and diverse anions and cations. A common method for concentrating uranium from a solution uses solutions of uranyl carbonates, which are passed through a resin bed where the

complex ion A coordination complex consists of a central atom or ion, which is usually metallic and is called the ''coordination centre'', and a surrounding array of bound molecules or ions, that are in turn known as ''ligands'' or complexing agents. Many ...

s are transferred to the resin by

ion exchange Ion exchange is a reversible interchange of one kind of ion present in an insoluble solid with another of like charge present in a solution surrounding the solid with the reaction being used especially for softening or making water demineralised, ...

with a negative ion like chloride. After build-up of the uranium complex on the resin, the uranium is eluted with a salt solution and the uranium is

precipitate In an aqueous solution, precipitation is the process of transforming a dissolved substance into an insoluble solid from a super-saturated solution. The solid formed is called the precipitate. In case of an inorganic chemical reaction leading ...

d in another process.

Uranyl carbonate minerals

Uranyl carbonates include: *

Andersonite Andersonite, Na2Ca(UO2)(CO3)3·6H2O, or hydrated sodium calcium uranyl carbonate is a rare uranium carbonate mineral that was first described in 1948. Named after Charles Alfred Anderson (1902–1990) of the United States Geological Survey, who ...

(hydrated sodium calcium uranyl carbonate) * Astrocyanite-(Ce) (hydrated copper cerium neodymium lanthanum praseodymium samarium calcium yttrium uranyl carbonate hydroxide) *

Bayleyite Bayleyite is a uranium carbonate mineral with the chemical formula: Mg2(UO2)(CO3)3·18(H2O). It is a secondary mineral which contains magnesium, uranium and carbon. It is a bright yellow color. Its crystal habit is acicular but is more commonly f ...

(hydrated magnesium uranyl carbonate) *

Bijvoetite-(Y) Bijvoetite-(Y) is a very rare rare-earth and uranium mineralDeliens, M., and Piret, P., 1982. Bijvoetite et lepersonnite, carbonates hydrates d'uranyle et des terres rares de Shinkolobwe, Zaïre. Canadian Mineralogist 20, 231-238 with the formula ...

(hydrated yttrium dysprosium uranyl carbonate hydroxide) * Fontanite (hydrated calcium uranyl carbonate) * Grimselite (hydrated potassium sodium uranyl carbonate) * Joliotite (hydrated uranyl carbonate) *

Liebigite Liebigite is a uranium carbonate mineral with the chemical formula: Ca2(UO2)(CO3)3·11H2O. It is a secondary mineral occurring in the oxidizing zone of uranium-bearing ores. It is green to yellow green in colour. It has a Mohs hardness of about ...

(hydrated calcium uranyl carbonate) * Mckelveyite-(Y) (hydrated barium sodium calcium uranium yttrium carbonate) * Metazellerite (hydrated calcium uranyl carbonate) * Rabbittite (hydrated calcium magnesium uranyl carbonate hydroxide) * Roubaultite (copper uranyl carbonate oxide hydroxide) *

Rutherfordine Rutherfordine is a mineral containing almost pure uranyl carbonate ( U O2 CO3). It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system in translucent lathlike, elongated, commonly radiating in fibrous, and in pulverulent, earthy to very fine-grained dense ma ...

(uranyl carbonate) *

Schröckingerite Schröckingerite is a radioactive yellow uranium-containing carbonate mineral, hydrated sodium calcium uranyl sulfate carbonate fluoride.http://www.webmineral.com/data/Schrockingerite.shtml Webmineralhttp://www.mindat.org/min-3584.html Mindat Sc ...

(hydrated sodium calcium uranyl sulfate carbonate fluoride) * Shabaite (hydrated copper cerium neodymium lanthanum praseodymium samarium calcium yttrium uranyl carbonate hydroxide) * Sharpite (hydrated calcium uranyl carbonate hydroxide) * Swartzite (hydrated calcium magnesium uranyl carbonate) * Voglite (hydrated calcium copper uranyl carbonate) *

Wyartite Wyartite ·7H2O is a uranium bearing mineral named after Jean Wyart (1902–1992), mineralogist at the Sorbonne, Paris. It has greenish-black, black, or violet-black, translucent to opaque orthorhombic crystals. A hardness of 3 - 4 Mohs. Its othe ...

(hydrated calcium uranyl carbonate hydroxide) * Widenmannite (lead uranyl carbonate) *

Zellerite Zellerite is a uranium mineral, named after its discoverer, geologist Howard Davis Zeller. It has a type locality of the Lucky MC uranium mine in Wyoming, USA. It was approved by the IMA in 1965, but was first published a year after its approval ...

(hydrated calcium uranyl carbonate) *

Znucalite Znucalite or CaZn11(UO2)(CO3)3(OH)20·4(H2O) is a rare, radioactive, white to pale cream colored uranium-containing carbonate mineral, hydrated calcium zinc uranyl carbonate hydroxide. Znucalite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, often formi ...

(hydrated calcium zinc uranyl carbonate hydroxide)

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Uranium carbonate Uranyl compounds Carbonates Nuclear materials