Zeunerite
Mineral Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·12H2O
Take care.
- Radioactive: Keep it in a closed, labelled box away from where people sit or sleep, handle it briefly, wash your hands after, and never grind or cut it.
- Contains arsenic: Wash your hands after handling it, don't make dust, and never heat it.
About it
Green square plates that look just like torbernite but hold arsenic in place of phosphorus, so it is doubly hazardous. A classic from Schneeberg in Germany and Cornwall; dehydrates to metazeunerite.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Arsenate, autunite group (uranyl)
- Formula
- Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·12H2O
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2.5
- Specific gravity
- 3.2–3.4
- Streak
- pale green
- Lustre
- vitreous (glassy), pearly
- Crystal system
- Tetragonal
- Colours
- emerald green, grass green, yellowish green
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in one direction, mica-like flakes
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.