Sklodowskite is a
uranium mineral with the chemical formula: Mg(UO
2)
2(HSiO
4)
2·5H
2O. It is a
secondary mineral which contains
magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 ...
and is a bright yellow colour, its
crystal habit
In mineralogy, crystal habit is the characteristic external shape of an individual crystal or aggregate of crystals. The habit of a crystal is dependent on its crystallographic form and growth conditions, which generally creates irregularities d ...
is
acicular, but can form in other shapes. It has a
Mohs hardness
The Mohs scale ( ) of mineral hardness is a qualitative ordinal scale, from 1 to 10, characterizing scratch resistance of mineral
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid substance with a fair ...
of about 2–3.
It is named after the maiden name of
Marie Skłodowska Curie.
It is the magnesium
analogue of the much more common uranium mineral
Cuprosklodowskite, which contains
copper
Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
instead.
It was discovered by (1881–1966) in 1924.
References
*A. Schoep, La sklodowskite, nouveau mineral radioactif, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 179, 143 (1924)
Uranium(VI) minerals
Monoclinic minerals
Minerals in space group 12
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