Agrinierite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Agrinierite
Formula:
K2(Ca,Sr)[(UO2)3O3(OH)2]2 · 5H2O
Colour:
Orange
Specific Gravity:
5.7
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in 1972 by Fabien P. Cesbron, W. L. Brown, Pierre Bariand, and Jacques Geffroy in honor of Henri Agrinier [1928-1971], an engineer in the Mineralogy Laboratory of the French Atomic Energy Commission, Paris, France.
Monoclinic (pseudo-orthorhombic). Formerly thought to be orthorhombic.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
58
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:58:7
IMA Classification of Agrinierite
Classification of Agrinierite
4.GB.05
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
5.5.1.1
5 : OXIDES CONTAINING URANIUM OR THORIUM
5 : AX3O10·xH2O
5 : OXIDES CONTAINING URANIUM OR THORIUM
5 : AX3O10·xH2O
7.16.13
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
16 : Oxides of U
7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
16 : Oxides of U
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Agn | 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 Agrinierite
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Orange
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
on {001}
on {001}
Density:
5.7 g/cm3 (Measured) 5.55 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Agrinierite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
Dispersion:
relatively weak
Chemistry of Agrinierite
Mindat Formula:
K2(Ca,Sr)[(UO2)3O3(OH)2]2 · 5H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Agrinierite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
m - Domatic
Space Group:
Bm
Setting:
Cm
Cell Parameters:
a = 14.069(3) Å, b = 14.220(3) Å, c = 13.967(3) Å
β = 120.24(12)°
β = 120.24(12)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.989 : 1 : 0.982
Unit Cell V:
2412.2 ų
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals tabular on {001}, pseudohexagonal in section
Twinning:
Sector twins with composition plane {110}
Comment:
pseudo-orthorhombic due to structure twinning by metric merohedry (diffraction type I; Plášil et al. 2021), i.e., due to a mirror in (101); (F-centred) supercell data: a = 14.121 Å, b = 14.276 Å, c = 24.221 Å, V = 2 × 2441 Å ³
Crystal Structure
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0002511 | Agrinierite | Cahill C L, Burns P C (2000) The structure of agrinierite: a Sr-containing uranyl oxide hydrate mineral American Mineralogist 85 1294-1297 |  | 2000 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.023 Å | (s) |
| 3.128 Å | (vvs) |
| 3.153 Å | (vs) |
| 3.485 Å | (vs) |
| 3.516 Å | (s) |
| 6.05 Å | (ms) |
| 7.08 Å | (vvs) |
Comments:
Sample from the type locality
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] |
Type Occurrence of Agrinierite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
University of Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris; National School of Mines, Paris, France; National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 137454.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
oxidation zone of a uranium deposit
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Agrinierite
Other Language Names for Agrinierite
Dutch:Agrinieriet
French:Agrinierite
German:Agrinierit
Italian:Agrinierite
Latvian:Agrinierīts
Norwegian:Agrinieritt
Russian:Агриньерит
Spanish:Agrinierita
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 12 photos of Agrinierite associated with Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| 3 photos of Agrinierite associated with 'Pitchblende' | UO2 |
| 3 photos of Agrinierite associated with 'Gummite' | |
| 1 photo of Agrinierite associated with Urancalcarite | Ca(UO2)3(CO3)(OH)6 · 3H2O |
| 1 photo of Agrinierite associated with Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
| 1 photo of Agrinierite associated with Compreignacite | K2(UO2)6O4(OH)6 · 7H2O |
| 1 photo of Agrinierite associated with Meta-autunite | Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 6H2O |
| 1 photo of Agrinierite associated with Schoepite | (UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.GB.05 | Rameauite | K2Ca(UO2)6O6(OH)4 · 6H2O |
| 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.60 | Iriginite | (UO2)Mo2O7 · 3H2O |
| 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
Radioactivity:
| Element | % Content | Activity (Bq/kg) | Radiation Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uranium (U) | 71.6759% | 17,918,975 | α, β, γ |
| Thorium (Th) | 0.0000% | 0 | α, β, γ |
| Potassium (K) | 3.9245% | 1,217 | 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
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 Agrinierite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-58.html
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References for Agrinierite
Reference List:
Cesbron, F., Brown, W. L., Bariand, P., Geffroy, J. (1972) Rameauite and agrinierite, two new hydrated complex uranyl oxides from Margnac, France. Mineralogical Magazine, 38 (299) 781-789 doi:10.1180/minmag.1972.038.299.01
Cahill, C. L., Burns, P. C. (2000) The structure of agrinierite: a Sr-containing uranyl oxide hydrate mineral. American Mineralogist, 85 (9) 1294-1297 doi:10.2138/am-2000-8-922
Burns, Peter C. (2005) U6+ minerals and inorganic compounds: insights into an expanded structural hierarchy of crystal structures. The Canadian Mineralogist, 43 (6) 1839-1894 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.43.6.1839
Plášil, Jakub; Petříček, Václav; Škoda, Radek; Meisser, Nicolas; Kasatkin, Anatoly V. (2021) Hidden and apparent twins in uranyl-oxide minerals agrinierite and rameauite: a demonstration of metric and reticular merohedry. Journal of Applied Crystallography, 54 (6). 1656-1663 doi:10.1107/s1600576721009663
Localities for Agrinierite
Showing 2 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.
France (TL) | |
| Cesbron et al. (1972) |
Switzerland | |
| Ansermet et al. (2025) |
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Margnac Mine, Compreignac, Bellac, Haute-Vienne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France