Iriginite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Iriginite
Formula:
(UO2)Mo2O7 · 3H2O
Colour:
Canary yellow
Lustre:
Vitreous, Dull
Hardness:
1 - 2
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
The author liked the sound of the name. The Handbook of Mineralogy states: "A euphonious construction, devoid of connotation."
This page provides mineralogical data about Iriginite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2046
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2046:2
Similar Names
IMA Classification of Iriginite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
(U6+O2)Mo6+2O7·3H2O
Classification of Iriginite
4.GB.60
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
G : Uranyl Hydroxides
B : With additional cations (K, Ca, Ba, Pb, etc.); with mainly UO2(O,OH)5 pentagonal polyhedra
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
G : Uranyl Hydroxides
B : With additional cations (K, Ca, Ba, Pb, etc.); with mainly UO2(O,OH)5 pentagonal polyhedra
49.2.3.1
49 : HYDRATED MOLYBDATES AND TUNGSTATES
2 : Hydrated Normal Molybdates and Tungstates
49 : HYDRATED MOLYBDATES AND TUNGSTATES
2 : Hydrated Normal Molybdates and Tungstates
27.3.7
27 : Sulphites, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
3 : Molybdates
27 : Sulphites, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
3 : Molybdates
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Irg | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Iriginite
Optical Data of Iriginite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.73 - 1.764 nβ = 1.82 - 1.889 nγ = 1.93 - 1.936
2V:
Measured: 60° , Calculated: 58° to 90°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.172 - 0.200
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Dispersion:
r > v
Chemistry of Iriginite
Mindat Formula:
(UO2)Mo2O7 · 3H2O
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Iriginite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbcm
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.77 Å, b = 6.71 Å, c = 11.53 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.903 : 1 : 1.718
Unit Cell V:
987.97 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005691 | Iriginite | Krivovichev S V, Burns P C (2000) The crystal chemistry of uranyl molybdates. II. the crystal structure of iriginite The Canadian Mineralogist 38 847-851 |  | 2000 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.222 Å | (100) |
| 1.129 Å | (80) |
| 2.625 Å | (60) |
| 2.142 Å | (60) |
| 1.836 Å | (60) |
| 1.249 Å | (60) |
| 1.206 Å | (60) |
| 1.188 Å | (60) |
| 1.165 Å | (60) |
| 6.4 Å | (50) |
| 1.533 Å | (50) |
Comments:
Aleksandrovskii Golets deposit, Russia. Data from the type description.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47f : [Uranyl (U⁶⁺) minerals] | |
| 47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 55 : Anthropogenic mine minerals |
Type Occurrence of Iriginite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Very fine-grained dense yellow aggregates, sometimes forming pseudomorphs after brannerite.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, number 1257/2 (type).
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Granulated albitite, with U-Mo minerals.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Iriginite
Other Language Names for Iriginite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 9 photos of Iriginite associated with Umohoite | (UO2)MoO4 · 2H2O |
| 8 photos of Iriginite associated with Mourite | UMo5O12(OH)10 |
| 4 photos of Iriginite associated with Calcurmolite | Ca[(UO2)3(MoO4)2(OH)4](H2O)~5.0 |
| 4 photos of Iriginite associated with Ilsemannite | Mo3O8 · nH2O |
| 2 photos of Iriginite associated with Powellite | Ca(MoO4) |
| 2 photos of Iriginite associated with Melkovite | [Ca2(H2O)15Ca(H2O)6][Mo8P2Fe3+3O36(OH)] |
| 2 photos of Iriginite associated with Jarosite | KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| 2 photos of Iriginite associated with Ferrimolybdite | Fe2(MoO4)3 · nH2O |
| 2 photos of Iriginite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
| 2 photos of Iriginite associated with 'Unnamed (Hydrous Zr Molybdate)' | Zr-Mo-O-OH |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.GB.05 | Rameauite | K2Ca(UO2)6O6(OH)4 · 6H2O |
| 4.GB.05 | Agrinierite | K2(Ca,Sr)[(UO2)3O3(OH)2]2 · 5H2O |
| 4.GB.05 | Compreignacite | K2(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 7H2O |
| 4.GB.10 | Becquerelite | Ca(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 8H2O |
| 4.GB.10 | Billietite | Ba(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 4-8H2O |
| 4.GB.10 | Protasite | Ba(UO2)3O3(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| 4.GB.15 | Richetite | (Fe3+,Mg)Pb 8.6(UO2)36O36(OH)24 · 41H2O |
| 4.GB.20 | Calciouranoite | (Ca,Ba,Pb)U2O7 · 5H2O |
| 4.GB.20 | Bauranoite | Ba(UO2)2(OH)6 · 1-2H2O |
| 4.GB.20 | Metacalciouranoite | (Ca,Ba,Pb,K2)U2O7 · 2H2O |
| 4.GB.25 | Fourmarierite | Pb(UO2)4O3(OH)4 · 4H2O |
| 4.GB.30 | Wölsendorfite | Pb7(UO2)14O19(OH)4 · 12H2O |
| 4.GB.35 | Masuyite | Pb(UO2)3O3(OH)2 · 3H2O |
| 4.GB.40 | Vandendriesscheite | PbU7O22 · 12H2O |
| 4.GB.40 | Metavandendriesscheite | PbU7O22 · nH2O n < 12 |
| 4.GB.45 | Vandenbrandeite | Cu(UO2)(OH)4 |
| 4.GB.50 | Sayrite | Pb2(UO2)5O6(OH)2 · 4H2O |
| 4.GB.55 | Curite | Pb3(H2O)2[(UO2)4O4(OH)3]2 |
| 4.GB.65 | Uranosphaerite | Bi(UO2)O2(OH) |
| 4.GB.70 | Holfertite | CaxU6+2-xTi(O8-xOH4x) · 3H2O |
| 4.GB.75 | Carlosbarbosaite | (UO2)2Nb2O6(OH)2 · 2H2O |
| 4.GB.80 | Gauthierite | KPb[(UO2)7O5(OH)7] · 8H2O |
| 4.GB.85 | Kroupaite | KPb0.5[(UO2)8O4(OH)10] · 10H2O |
| 4.GB.90 | Leesite | K(H2O)2[(UO2)4O2(OH)5] · 3H2O |
| 4.GB.95 | Shinkolobweite | Pb1.333[U5+O(OH)(UO2)5O4.67(OH)5.33](H2O)5 |
| 4.GB.95 | Nollmotzite | Mg[U5+(U6+O2)2O4F3] · 4H2O |
Radioactivity
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Iriginite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2046.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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Mineral Dealers:
References for Iriginite
Reference List:
Fleischer, M. F. (1960) New Mineral Names; New data; Redefinition of mineral. American Mineralogist, 45 (1-2). 252-258
Jambor, John L., Roberts, Andrew C., Puziewicz, Jacek (1994) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 79 (5-6) 570-574
Krivovichev, S. V., Burns, P. C. (2000) Crystal chemistry of uranyl molybdates. II. The crystal structure of iriginite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 38 (4) 847-851 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.38.4.847
Localities for Iriginite
Showing 26 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| Sue Koepke collection +3 other references |
Canada | |
| Richard Gunter specimen |
| data.geology.gov.yk.ca (n.d.) |
China | |
| Zhao et al. (2026) |
Czech Republic | |
| Bull mineral petrolog 27 +2 other references |
DR Congo | |
| 304 [287-288]. +2 other references |
Egypt | |
| Bahr et al. (2026) |
France | |
| Bariand et al. (1993) +1 other reference |
| Favreau et al. (2024) |
| Georges FAVREAU collection & EDX ... +1 other reference | |
Germany | |
| Gröbner et al. (2007) +1 other reference |
Kazakhstan | |
| Yegorov et al. (1970) +1 other reference |
| Pekov (1998) |
Mexico | |
| Analysis by and from the collection of ... +1 other reference |
Niger | |
| Mamadou et al. (2022) |
| Bohari et al. (2022) | |
Russia (TL) | |
| Pekov (1998) |
| Chernyshev et al. (2019) |
Slovakia | |
| Ferenc Š. et al. (2019) +1 other reference |
South Africa | |
| Cairncross et al. (1995) |
USA | |
| Anthony et al. (1995) |
| Anthony et al. (1995) | |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Tony Kampf Identification |
| Roberts et al. (1965) |
| - (2005) |
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Majerská valley U occurrence, Čučma, Rožňava District, Košice Region, Slovakia