IRIGINITE

    Class : Sulfates, chromates, molybdates
    Subclass : Uranyl molybdates
    Crystal system : Orthorhombic
    Chemistry : (UO2)(Mo2O7) 3H2O
    Rarity : Very rare

Iriginite is an extremely rare uranium molybdate which forms fine-grained aggregates of canary yellow color, disseminated in the oxidized surface part of rare deposits which contain both uranium and molybdenum. It was named thus arbitrarily by the discoverer who liked the sound of the name...

Main photo : Iriginite from Majerská valley U occurrence, Slovakia © Martin Stevko

Iriginite in the World

Iriginite is reported in a brannerite albitite from the Aleksandrovskii Golets deposit (Russia), in uranium-bearing sandstones from Scenic (South Dakota) and Australia, as well as in coatings on molybdenite from the Shinkolobwe uranium deposit (Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo). It is also known in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Right photo : Iriginite and gypsum from Vrchoslav, Czech Republic

Iriginite in France

In France, iriginite is known in Rabejac (Hérault) and Cap Garonne (Var).

Twinning

No twin known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.


Hardness : 1 to 2
Density : Undeterminated
Fracture : Undeterminated
Streak : Yellow

TP : Translucent
RI : 1.730 to 1.936
Birefringence : 0.200
Optical character : Biaxial +-
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : Strong