Pitchblende facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Uraninite |
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Pitchblende from Niederschlema-Alberoda deposit, Germany
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| General | |
| Category | Oxide minerals |
| Formula (repeating unit) |
Uranium dioxide or uranium(IV) oxide (UO2) |
| Strunz classification | 04.DL.05 |
| Crystal symmetry | Isometric, hexoctahedral H-M symbol: (4/m32/m) Space group: F m3m |
| Unit cell | a = 5.4682 Å; Z = 4 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Steel-black to velvet-black, brownish black, pale gray to pale green; in transmitted light, pale green, pale yellow to deep brown |
| Crystal habit | Massive, botryoidal, granular. Octahedral crystals uncommon. |
| Crystal system | Isometric |
| Cleavage | Indistinct |
| Fracture | Conchoidal to uneven |
| Mohs scale hardness | 5–6 |
| Luster | Submetallic, greasy, dull |
| Streak | Brownish black, gray, olive-green |
| Diaphaneity | Opaque; transparent in thin fragments |
| Specific gravity | 10.63–10.95; decreases on oxidation |
| Optical properties | Isotropic |
| Other characteristics | Radioactive: greater than 70 Bq/g |
| Major varieties | |
| Pitchblende | Massive |
Pitchblende is a special kind of mineral. It is very rich in uranium and is also radioactive. This means it gives off energy as tiny particles. People also call this mineral Uraninite.
Pitchblende is mostly made of uranium dioxide (UO2). It also has small amounts of other substances. These include uranium trioxide (UO3), lead, thorium, and rare earth elements. The mineral is called pitchblende because it is black and very heavy.
People have known about pitchblende since the 1400s. It was found in silver mines in the Ore Mountains. These mountains are on the border between Germany and the Czech Republic. In 1789, a scientist named M. Klaproth used pitchblende from Germany. He used it to discover the element uranium.
Pitchblende naturally contains a tiny bit of radium. Radium forms when uranium slowly breaks down. Uranium also breaks down into different types of lead. So, pitchblende always has small amounts of lead inside it. You can also find small amounts of helium in pitchblende. Helium is made when uranium breaks down. Helium was first found on Earth in pitchblende. Before that, it was only known to exist in the Sun's atmosphere!
Where Pitchblende is Found
Pitchblende is a very important source of uranium. Some of the best uranium ores in the world were found in the Shinkolobwe mine. This mine is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was an early source for the Manhattan Project. Another important place is the Athabasca Basin in northern Canada.
You can also find a lot of pitchblende at Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Here, it is often found with silver. Pitchblende is also found in Australia, Germany, England, and South Africa. In the United States, it can be found in many states. These include New Hampshire, Connecticut, North Carolina, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
After uranium ore is dug up, it is usually processed near the mine. This process turns it into something called yellowcake. Yellowcake is an important step in getting pure uranium.
Related Minerals and Topics
- Thorianite
- Uranium ore deposits
- List of minerals
- List of uranium mines
