Is uraninite and pitchblende the same?
Uraninite, formerly pitchblende, is a radioactive, uranium-rich mineral and ore with a chemical composition that is largely UO2 but because of oxidation typically contains variable proportions of U3O8….
| Uraninite | |
|---|---|
| Major varieties | |
| Pitchblende | Massive |
How do I know if I have uraninite?
Physical Properties of Uraninite Brownish black, black, gray, greenish. Submetallic, greasy, or dull. Opaque, translucent to transparent on thin edges. The ideal specific gravity is between 10 and 11.
What is pitchblende used for?
Pitchblende was firstly extracted for production of colouring agents used in the glassmaking industry. The German chemist Klaproth in 1789 detected uranium by analysing pitchblende. In 1896, A.H. Becquerel discovered the phenomenon of radioactivity.
Where is uraninite most commonly found?
Uraninite has been obtained from hydrothermal vein deposits, such as those at Jáchymov and in adjacent places in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) in Germany. Other vein deposits occur at Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada and in the Lake Athabasca district of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Is pitchblende an ore of plutonium?
ABSTRACT Plutonium has been chemically separated from seven different ores and the ratios of plutonium to uranium determined. This ratio was found to be fairly constant in pitchblende and monazite ores, in which the uranium content varied from 50% to 0.24%, and substantially less in carnotite and fergusonite.
What was more wonderful and powerful than uranium?
Plutonium-239, the isotope found in the spent MOX fuel, is much more radioactive than the depleted Uranium-238 in the fuel. Plutonium emits alpha radiation, a highly ionizing form of radiation, rather than beta or gamma radiation.
How hard is depleted uranium?
The denser the projectile, the harder the impact for a given size. DU is almost twice as dense as lead, making it highly suitable. The other metal used for anti-tank rounds is tungsten, which is also very hard and dense. When a tungsten rod strikes armour, it deforms and mushrooms, making it progressively blunter.
What is cinnabar in chemistry?
Cinnabar, mercury sulfide (HgS), the chief ore mineral of mercury. It is commonly encountered with pyrite, marcasite, and stibnite in veins near recent volcanic rocks and in hot-springs deposits.
What element is pitchblende rich in?
The mineral pitchblende, rich in uranium, gave off more radioactivity than could be accounted for by the uranium in it (and there was no thorium). She figured the pitchblende must contain another element, fiercely radioactive, and never seen before.
Why does radium Glow?
Even without the phosphor, pure radium emits enough alpha particles to excite nitrogen in the air, causing it to glow. The color isn’t green, through, but a pale blue similar to that of an electric arc.
How many tons of pitchblende does it take to make 1 gram of uranium?
Almost 400 tonnes of pitchblende had to be processed for one gram of uranium to be produced.
Where can you find pitchblende in the world?
Another important source of pitchblende is at Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada, where it is found in large quantities associated with silver. It also occurs in Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, England, Rwanda, Namibia and South Africa.
What kind of minerals are found in pitchblende?
Pitchblende. Three chemical elements were first discovered in pitchblende: uranium by the German chemist Martin Klaproth in 1789, and polonium and radium by the French scientists Pierre and Marie Curie in 1898. Deposits, frequently in association with uraninite or with secondary uranium minerals, are known in Congo (Kinshasa); the Czech Republic;
What kind of crystal structure does cinnabar have?
Crystal structure of cinnabar: yellow = sulfur, grey = mercury, green = cell. Structurally, cinnabar belongs to the trigonal crystal system. It occurs as thick tabular or slender prismatic crystals or as granular to massive incrustations. Crystal twinning occurs as simple contact twins.
What kind of refractive index does cinnabar have?
Cinnabar has a mean refractive index near 3.2, a hardness between 2.0 and 2.5, and a specific gravity of approximately 8.1. The color and properties derive from a structure that is a hexagonal crystalline lattice belonging to the trigonal crystal system, crystals that sometimes exhibit twinning .
