Marthozite - Encyclopedia
Class : Oxides and hydroxides
Subclass : Uranyl selenites
Crystal system : Orthorhombic
Chemistry : Cu(UO2)3(SeO3)3(OH)2 7H2O
Rarity : Uncommon
The appearance of marthozite and other uranium selenites requires the joint presence of sufficient quantities of selenium and uranium in a deposit. These conditions are only met exceptionally, which explains the great rarity of these minerals, of which there are only four (guilleminite, demesmaekerite, derriksite and marthozite). It was named in honor of Aimé Marthoz, Director General of the Union Minière du Haut-Katanga. Marthozite forms millimetric crystals flattened according to (100) often trapezoidal, from green-yellow to greenish brown. The face (001) is striped parallel to [001].
Main photo : Marthozite from Musonoi, Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo © Joachim Esche
Marthozite in the World
Twinning
No twins known for this mineral species
Fakes and treatments
No fakes recorded for this mineral species.
Hardness : Undetermined
Density : 4.4
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : Undetermined
TP : Translucent
RI : Undetermined
Birefringence : Undetermined
Optical character : Biaxial -
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : Aqua regia
Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : Very strong