AUTUNITE
Chemical Formula: Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2 11H2O
Familly: Phosphates, Arseniates, Vanadates
Status: IMA-GP
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Mineral for Display: No
Luminescence:
UV Type |
Main color |
Intensity |
Observation Frequency |
|
| | | |
Long Waves (365nm): | Green | Strong | Allways (Intrinsic) | Mid waves (320 nm): | Green | Strong | Allways (Intrinsic) | Short Waves (254 nm): | Green | Medium | Allways (Intrinsic) | | | | |
Daylight Picture

AUTUNITE, Spokane, USA.
Photo and Copyright: Joan Abella i Creus, Spain
Used with permission of the author
Long Waves Picture (365nm)

AUTUNITE, Spokane, USA. LW (365 nm)
Photo and Copyright: Joan Abella i Creus, Spain
Used with permission of the author
Galerie de photos:

...
To the gallery (7 images in the gallery)
Phosphorescence (in the common meaning of the term) seen by naked eye:
No phosphorescence seen by naked eye whatever the type of UV
Comments:
Named by Henry J. Brooke and William H. Miller in 1854 for the type locality at Saint Symphorien near Autun, Saône-et-Loire, France.
Dehydrates in air to form meta-autunite.
Caution!
The autunite is highly radioactive. Like many uranium minerals (especially micaceous minerals) it is so easily clipped that inevitably a fine dust is formed in the boxes containing it that it is very dangerous to inhale. Avoid flying this dust in the air by brushing it or worse by blowing on it and wash your hands after each handling.
Main Activator(s) and spectrum:
Most Common Activator: (UO2)2+ (Uranyl ion) intrinsic
Peaks in the spectrum (nm):
488.6, 504, 524.2, 548, 573.9, 602.4 - (488), 503, 524,(547), 550,(572), 600, (627)

Col. G. Barmarin; Spectre: G. Barmarin
Comments on activators and spectra:
Pics pour la meta-autunite: 488, 501.6, 523.7, 547.2, 573.3, 600.2 ;
Lifetime: 60μs ;
Best Locality for luminescence(*):
- Saint-Symphorien-de-Marmagne uranium deposit, Saint-Symphorien-de-Marmagne, Autun, Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France;
- Margnac II Mine, Compreignac, Bellac, Haute-Vienne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France;
- Daybreak mine (Dahl lease), Mount Kit Carson, near Mt Spokane, Spokane County, Washington, USA;
- Cunha Baixa Mine, Beira Alta Province, Portugal;
- Assunção Mine, Aldeia Nova, Ferreira de Aves, Sátão, Viseu (Sao Vicente), Portugal;
- Krunkelbach Valley Uranium deposit, Menzenschwand, St Blasien, Waldshut, Freiburg Region, Baden-Württemberg, Germany;
- Menzenschwand, St Blasien, Waldshut, Freiburg Region, Baden-Württemberg, Germany;
(*)Data are not exhaustive and are limited to the most important localities for fluorescence
Bibliographical Reference for luminescence:
- The Henkel Glossary of Fluorescent Minerals, Dr. Gerhard Henkel, Published by the FMS, 1989 ,
- Fluorescence: Gems and Minerals Under Ultraviolet Light, Manuel Robbins, 1994, Geoscience Press, ISBN 0-945005-13-X ,
- The World of Fluorescent Minerals, Stuart Schneider, Schiffer Publishing, 2006, ISBN 0-7643-2544-2 ,
- Luminescence Spectroscopy of Minerals and Materials, M. Gaft, R. Reisfeld, G. Panczer, Springer Editor, ISBN: 10 3-540-21918-8 ,
- Uranium minerals Website: http://www.uraniumminerals.com ,
Luminescence Reference on internet:
Images:
- La Dorgissière Mine, Saint-Amand-sur-Sèvre, France: https://www.mindat.org/photo-865200.html
- Montoso Quarries, Bagnolo Piemonte, Piedmont, Italy: https://www.mindat.org/photo-751374.html
- Assunção Mine, Aldeia Nova, Ferreira de Aves, Viseu, Portugal: https://www.mindat.org/photo-138152.html
- Menzenschwand, St Blasien, Baden-Württemberg, Germany: https://www.mindat.org/photo-306243.html
- Nanjingqiao U deposit, Pingjiang Co., Yueyang, Hunan, China: https://www.mindat.org/photo-780053.html
- Morbihan, Brittany, France: https://www.mindat.org/photo-1025831.html
Mineralogical Reference on internet:
http://www.mindat.org/show.php?name=Autunite
http://webmineral.com/data/Autunite.shtml
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