Cobaltzippeite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Cobaltzippeite
Formula:
Co(UO2)2(SO4)O2 · 3.5H2O
Colour:
Tan to brownish yellow, yellow-orange
Hardness:
2
Specific Gravity:
4.948 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
In allusion to its composition, with dominant cobalt, and its relationship to zippeite. Originally named cobalt-zippeite, the hyphen was removed in a renaming by the IMA in 2008 (Burke 2008).
This page provides mineralogical data about Cobaltzippeite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1098
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1098:2
Classification of Cobaltzippeite
The zippeite-type sheet
The uranyl sulfate sheet topology found in the members of the zippeite group.
IMA Classification of Cobaltzippeite
Approved
IMA status notes:
Renamed by the IMA
IMA Formula:
Co2+(U6+O2)2(S6+O4)O2·3.5H2O
Approval year:
1971
First published:
1976
7.EC.05
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
E : Uranyl sulfates
C : With medium-sized and large cations
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
E : Uranyl sulfates
C : With medium-sized and large cations
31.10.4.6
31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
10 : Miscellaneous
31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
10 : Miscellaneous
25.12.2
25 : Sulphates
12 : Sulphates of Co and Ni
25 : Sulphates
12 : Sulphates of Co and Ni
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Czip | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Pronunciation of Cobaltzippeite
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Cobaltzippeite
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Tan to brownish yellow, yellow-orange
Hardness:
2 on Mohs scale
Density:
4.948 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Cobaltzippeite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.747 nβ = 1.779 nγ = 1.84
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.093
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.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (106°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
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.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (106°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Dispersion:
r > v
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
X = colorless; Y = pale yellow; Z = yellow.
Chemistry of Cobaltzippeite
Mindat Formula:
Co(UO2)2(SO4)O2 · 3.5H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Cobaltzippeite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
B2/m
Setting:
C2/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.650(4) Å, b = 14.252(9) Å, c = 17.742(10) Å
β = 104.092(19)°
β = 104.092(19)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.607 : 1 : 1.245
Unit Cell V:
2,121.41 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Minute tabular {010} grains and petal-like aggregates.
Twinning:
Simple and polysynthetic twins observed in synthetic material.
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0005853 | Cobaltzippeite | Burns P C, Deely K M, Hayden L A (2003) The crystal chemistry of the zippeite group The Canadian Mineralogist 41 687-706 |  | 2003 | 0 | 293 | |
| 0005853 | Cobaltzippeite | Burns P C, Deely K M, Hayden L A (2003) The crystal chemistry of the zippeite group The Canadian Mineralogist 41 687-706 | | 2003 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 7.21 Å | (100) |
| 3.59 Å | (46) |
| 3.12 Å | (28) |
| 3.47 Å | (22) |
| 1.963 Å | (12) |
| 2.491 Å | (11) |
| 2.653 Å | (10) |
Comments:
Synthetic
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47b : [Sulfates and sulfites] | |
| 47f : [Uranyl (U⁶⁺) minerals] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 55 : Anthropogenic mine minerals |
Type Occurrence of Cobaltzippeite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Coatings on mine walls.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1981,537 and 1981,538.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Cobaltzippeite
Other Language Names for Cobaltzippeite
Relationship of Cobaltzippeite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Zippeite Group:
| Ammoniozippeite | (NH4)2[(UO2)2(SO4)O2] · H2O | Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Cmca |
| Magnesiozippeite | Mg(UO2)2(SO4)O2 · 3.5H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| Natrozippeite | Na5(UO2)8(SO4)4O5(OH)3 · 12H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
| Nickelzippeite | Ni2(UO2)6(SO4)3(OH)10 · 16H2O | Mon. |
| Plavnoite | K0.8Mn0.6[(UO2)2O2(SO4)] · 3.5H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| Pseudojohannite | Cu3(UO2)4(SO4)2O4(OH)2 · 12H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Sejkoraite-(Y) | Y2(UO2)8(SO4)4O6(OH)2 · 26H2O | Tric. 1 : P1 |
| Zinczippeite | Zn(UO2)2(SO4)O2 · 3.5H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| Zippeite | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O | Mon. 2 : B2 |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 8 photos of Cobaltzippeite associated with Uraninite | UO2 |
| 5 photos of Cobaltzippeite associated with Natrozippeite | Na5(UO2)8(SO4)4O5(OH)3 · 12H2O |
| 4 photos of Cobaltzippeite associated with Uranopilite | (UO2)6(SO4)O2(OH)6 · 14H2O |
| 1 photo of Cobaltzippeite associated with 'Sandstone' | |
| 1 photo of Cobaltzippeite associated with Johannite | Cu(UO2)2(SO4)2(OH)2 · 8H2O |
| 1 photo of Cobaltzippeite associated with Pyrite | FeS2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 7.EC. | Nitscheite | (NH4)2[(UO2)2(SO4)3(H2O)2] · 3H2O |
| 7.EC. | Beshtauite | (NH4)2(UO2)(SO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 7.EC. | Oldsite-(K) | K2Fe2+[(UO2)(SO4)2]2(H2O)8 |
| 7.EC. | Adolfpateraite | K(UO2)(SO4)(OH)(H2O) |
| 7.EC. | Libbyite | (NH4)2(Na2◻)[(UO2)2(SO4)3(H2O)]2 · 7H2O |
| 7.EC. | Seaborgite | LiK2Na6(UO2)(SO4)5(SO3OH)(H2O) |
| 7.EC.05 | Zinczippeite | Zn(UO2)2(SO4)O2 · 3.5H2O |
| 7.EC.05 | Zippeite | K3(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH) · 3H2O |
| 7.EC.05 | Nickelzippeite | Ni2(UO2)6(SO4)3(OH)10 · 16H2O |
| 7.EC.05 | Redcanyonite | (NH4)2Mn[(UO2)4O4(SO4)2](H2O)4 |
| 7.EC.05 | Natrozippeite | Na5(UO2)8(SO4)4O5(OH)3 · 12H2O |
| 7.EC.05 | Magnesiozippeite | Mg(UO2)2(SO4)O2 · 3.5H2O |
| 7.EC.05 | Ammoniozippeite | (NH4)2[(UO2)2(SO4)O2] · H2O |
| 7.EC.05 | Plavnoite | K0.8Mn0.6[(UO2)2O2(SO4)] · 3.5H2O |
| 7.EC.10 | Rabejacite | Ca(UO2)4(SO4)2(OH)6 · 6H2O |
| 7.EC.10 | Svornostite-(NH4) | (NH4)2Mg(UO2)2(SO4)4(H2O)8 |
| 7.EC.10 | Svornostite-(K) | K2Mg[(UO2)(SO4)2]2(H2O)8 |
| 7.EC.15 | Sejkoraite-(Y) | Y2(UO2)8(SO4)4O6(OH)2 · 26H2O |
| 7.EC.15 | Marécottite | Mg3(UO2)8(SO4)4O6(OH)2 · 28H2O |
| 7.EC.15 | Hubbardite | Mg(H2O)6[(UO2)2O(OH)(SO4)]2 · 8H2O |
| 7.EC.20 | Pseudojohannite | Cu3(UO2)4(SO4)2O4(OH)2 · 12H2O |
| 7.EC.40 | Bluelizardite | Na7(UO2)(SO4)4Cl(H2O)2 |
| 7.EC.45 | Meisserite | Na5(UO2)(SO4)3(SO3OH)(H2O) |
| 7.EC.45 | Fermiite | Na4(UO2)(SO4)3 · 3H2O |
| 7.EC.45 | Oppenheimerite | Na2(UO2)(SO4)2 · 3H2O |
| 7.EC.50 | Feynmanite | Na(UO2)(SO4)(OH) · 3.5H2O |
| 7.EC.50 | Plášilite | Na(UO2)(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O |
| 7.EC.55 | Geschieberite | K2(UO2)(SO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 7.EC.60 | Ottohahnite | Na6(UO2)2(SO4)5(H2O)7 · 1.5H2O |
| 7.EC.65 | Péligotite | Na6(UO2)(SO4)4 · 4H2O |
| 7.EC.70 | Klaprothite | Na6(UO2)(SO4)4 · 4H2O |
| 7.EC.75 | Lussierite | Na10[(UO2)(SO4)4](SO4)2 · 3(H2O) |
| 7.EC.80 | Navrotskyite | K2Na10(UO2)3(SO4)9 · 2H2O |
| 7.EC.85 | Pseudomeisserite-(NH4) | (NH4)2Na4[(UO2)2(SO4)5] · 4H2O |
| 7.EC.90 | Wetherillite | Na2Mg(UO2)2(SO4)4 · 18H2O |
Radioactivity
Radioactivity:
| Element | % Content | Activity (Bq/kg) | Radiation Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uranium (U) | 60.2526% | 15,063,150 | α, β, γ |
| Thorium (Th) | 0.0000% | 0 | α, β, γ |
| Potassium (K) | 0.0000% | 0 | β, γ |
For comparison:
- Banana: ~15 Bq per fruit
- Granite: 1,000–3,000 Bq/kg
- EU exemption limit: 10,000 Bq/kg
Note: Risk is shown relative to daily recommended maximum exposure to non-background radiation of 1000 µSv/year. Note that natural background radiation averages around 2400 µSv/year so in reality these risks are probably extremely overstated! With infrequent handling and safe storage natural radioactive minerals do not usually pose much risk.
Interactive Simulator:
Note: The mass selector refers to the mass of radioactive mineral present, not the full specimen, also be aware that the matrix may also be radioactive, possibly more radioactive than this mineral!
Activity: –
| Distance | Dose rate | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | ||
| 10 cm | ||
| 1 m |
The external dose rate (D) from a radioactive mineral is estimated by summing the gamma radiation contributions from its Uranium, Thorium, and Potassium content, disregarding daughter-product which may have a significant effect in some cases (eg 'pitchblende'). This involves multiplying the activity (A, in Bq) of each element by its specific gamma ray constant (Γ), which accounts for its unique gamma emissions. The total unshielded dose at 1 cm is then scaled by the square of the distance (r, in cm) and multiplied by a shielding factor (μshield). This calculation provides a 'worst-case' or 'maximum risk' estimate because it assumes the sample is a point source and entirely neglects any self-shielding where radiation is absorbed within the mineral itself, meaning actual doses will typically be lower. The resulting dose rate (D) is expressed in microsieverts per hour (μSv/h).
D = ((AU × ΓU) + (ATh × ΓTh) + (AK × ΓK)) / r2 × μshield
Other Information
Notes:
Radioactive
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 Cobaltzippeite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1098.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Cobaltzippeite
Reference List:
Haacke, David F., Williams, Peter A. (1979) The aqueous chemistry of uranium minerals. Part I. Divalent cation zippeïte. Mineralogical Magazine, 43 (328) 539-541 doi:10.1180/minmag.1979.043.328.15
Burns, P. C., Deely, K. M., Hayden, L. A. (2003) The crystal chemistry of the zippeite group. The Canadian Mineralogist, 41 (3). 687-706 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.41.3.687
Localities for Cobaltzippeite
Showing 4 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.
Czech Republic | |
| Jakub Plasil |
Hungary | |
| Zsombor Eva Collection |
USA | |
| EDS and Raman analyzed by Joy Desor. |
| R&M 53:2 pp 68-71 |
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Happy Jack Mine, White Canyon Mining District, San Juan County, Utah, USA