Vote for your favorite mineral in #MinCup26! - Azurite vs. Smithsonite
It's carbonate-vs-carbonate to kick off Mineral Cup 2026 with copper-rich Azurite against zinc-rich Smithsonite.
Log InRegister
Quick Links : The Mindat ManualThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMindat Newsletter [Free Download]
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreContact UsAdvertise on Mindat
Donate to MindatCorporate SponsorshipSponsor a PageSponsored PagesMindat AdvertisersAdvertise on Mindat
Learning CenterWhat is a mineral?The most common minerals on earthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesThe ElementsThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryGeologic TimeExplore Fossils
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDLocalities Near MeSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryMore Search Options
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
Mining CompaniesStatisticsUsersMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsThe Mindat DirectoryDevice SettingsThe Mineral QuizTime Machine
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColorPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Paulscherrerite

A valid IMA mineral species
This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
05878900017272471751993.jpg
Paulscherrerite, etc.

Ruggles Mine, Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA
09860490017271980847885.jpg
Paulscherrerite

Mount Painter No. 2 workings, Mount Painter area, Arkaroola, Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia
08592480017272471758655.jpg
Paulscherrerite

Mount Painter No. 2 workings, Mount Painter area, Arkaroola, Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia
05878900017272471751993.jpg
Paulscherrerite, etc.

Ruggles Mine, Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA
01365720017272471766212.jpg
Paulscherrerite

Mount Painter No. 2 workings, Mount Painter area, Arkaroola, Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia
08592480017272471758655.jpg
Paulscherrerite

Mount Painter No. 2 workings, Mount Painter area, Arkaroola, Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia
04851770017272471762922.jpg
Paulscherrerite, etc.

Ruggles Mine, Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, USA
09860490017271980847885.jpg
Paulscherrerite

Mount Painter No. 2 workings, Mount Painter area, Arkaroola, Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia
Hide all sections | Show all sections

About PaulscherreriteHide

06678170017272471765397.jpg
Paul Scherrer
Formula:
UO2(OH)2
Colour:
canary yellow
Specific Gravity:
6.66 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Schoepite Group
Name:
Named in 2011 by Joël Brugger, Nicolas Meisser, Barbara Etschmann, Stefan Ansermet, Allan Pring in honor of Paul Scherrer [February 3, 1890 Saint Gallen, Switzerland – September 25, 1969 Zürich, Switzerland], Swiss physicist, professor of experimental physics in the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule of Zürich, Switzerland, and president of the Swiss Atomic Energy Commission. In 1918, together with Paul Debye, he developed a technique for crystal structure determination by X-ray diffraction on powders (Debye-Scherrer technique). He is also known for the Scherrer equation, which describes the dependence of line broadening of reflected X-rays on crystal size for small particles.
Occurs as a dehydration product of metaschoepite.
Previously, generally called 'dehydrated schoepite.'


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
38700
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:38700:2

IMA Classification of PaulscherreriteHide

IMA status:
Approved
IMA Formula:
U6+O2(OH)2
Approval year:
2008

Classification of PaulscherreriteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
4.GA.20

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
G : Uranyl Hydroxides
A : Without additional cations
Dana 8th ed.:
5.2.2.

5 : OXIDES CONTAINING URANIUM OR THORIUM
2 : AXO3·xH2O

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
PscIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of PaulscherreriteHide

Colour:
Canary yellow
Streak:
Canary yellow
Density:
6.66 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Chemistry of PaulscherreriteHide

Mindat Formula:
UO2(OH)2
Element Weights:
Element% weight
U78.288 %
O21.049 %
H0.663 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Elements listed:
H, O, U - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of PaulscherreriteHide

Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:
a = 4.281 Å, b = 10.230 Å, c = 6.865 Å
β = 90.35°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.418 : 1 : 0.671
Unit Cell V:
300.64 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Comment:
pseudo-orthorhombic

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
5.085 Å(64)
3.424 Å(100)
3.405 Å(27)
2.848 Å(18)
2.483 Å(23)
1.9854 Å(13)
1.9737 Å(23)
1.7820 Å(9)
Locality:
Mount Painter No. 2 workings, Mount Painter area, Arkaroola (Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary; Arkaroola Station), Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]
47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals]

Type Occurrence of PaulscherreriteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Mount Painter No. 2 workings, Mount Painter area, Arkaroola (Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary; Arkaroola Station), Pastoral Unincorporated Area, South Australia, Australia
General Appearance of Type Material:
Powdery, pseudomorphs. intimately admixed with significant amounts of metaschoepite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Holotype material (G31382) is deposited in the South Australian Museum, North Terrace, 5000 Adelaide, Australia, and cotype material (MGL 79287) in the Musée Géologique, UNIL-Anthropole, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Metaschoepite

Synonyms of PaulscherreriteHide

Other Language Names for PaulscherreriteHide

Relationship of Paulscherrerite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Schoepite Group
Other Members of Schoepite Group:
Metaschoepite(UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 10H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbcn
Schoepite(UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbca

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
10 photos of Paulscherrerite associated with Schoepite(UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2O
9 photos of Paulscherrerite associated with VandendriesscheitePbU7O22 · 12H2O
8 photos of Paulscherrerite associated with ZirconZr(SiO4)
6 photos of Paulscherrerite associated with UraniniteUO2
4 photos of Paulscherrerite associated with Meta-autuniteCa(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O
3 photos of Paulscherrerite associated with MicroclineK(AlSi3O8)
2 photos of Paulscherrerite associated with QuartzSiO2
1 photo of Paulscherrerite associated with AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

4.GA.05ParaschoepiteUO3 · 2H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbca
4.GA.05Metaschoepite(UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 10H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbcn
4.GA.05Schoepite(UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pbca
4.GA.10IanthiniteU4+(UO2)5O7 · 10H2OOrth. mm2 : Amm2
4.GA.15MetastudtiteUO4 · 2H2OOrth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m) : Pnma
4.GA.15Studtite[(UO2)(O2)(H2O)2] · H2OMon. 2/m : B2/b

RadioactivityHide

Radioactivity:
Element % Content Activity (Bq/kg) Radiation Type
Uranium (U) 78.2881% 19,572,025 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: –

DistanceDose rateRisk
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 InformationHide

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 PaulscherreriteHide

References for PaulscherreriteHide

Localities for PaulscherreriteHide

Showing 3 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- 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). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia (TL)
 
  • South Australia
    • Pastoral Unincorporated Area
      • Arkaroola (Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary; Arkaroola Station)
        • Mount Painter area
Brugger et al. (2011)
USA
 
  • New Hampshire
    • Grafton County
      • Grafton
Brugger et al. (2011)
      • Groton
Brugger et al. (2011)
Quick NavTopAbout PaulscherreriteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Chemistry Crystallography X-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesRelationshipsCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatRadioactivityOther InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
 
and/or  
Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: September 1, 2026 08:49:10 Page updated: August 19, 2026 22:19:12
Go to top of page