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Zippeite mineral

Zippeite is the potassium uranyl sulfate hydroxide hydrate mineral with the September 2026 IMA formula K2[(UO2)4(SO4)2O2(OH)2](H2O)4, redefined status Rd and entry 1971-029a. It is a mineral species, distinct from the zippeite group, other cation-dominant group members, elemental uranium and a uranium commodity. The natural species must not be equated without qualification to the K3, three-water synthetic compound called zippeite by Burns and colleagues in 2003. The latter was refined in C2; the natural material discussed by Plasil and colleagues in 2014 was indexed in C2/m. Their original powder-XRD result for fine-grained zippeite II from the Cervena vein, Jachymov, Czech Republic gave a = 8.844(1), b = 14.115(2), c = 8.856(1) angstrom, beta = 104.785(8) degrees and V = 1068.9(3) cubic angstrom (Table 29). This is distinct from the zippeite I single-crystal values reproduced from their earlier 2011 study. Figures 13-14 show crystalline aggregates and powdery coatings in the natural weathering assemblage. The proposed later precipitation of the powdery material is a petrographic interpretation, not a timed or controlled conversion. Formation pH, temperature, aqueous composition and uranium mass balance were not directly established for that event. This record accepts natural identity and occurrence evidence; no criticality designation, microbial process, extraction yield or industrial recovery is inferred.

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Sources & References

  1. ima_2026_09: IMA-CNMNC. The New IMA List of Minerals, September 2026. Zippeite row, PDF page 242; status definitions page 1. Current formula and Rd1971-029a entry visually checked.
    https://cnmnc.units.it/files/editor/IMA_Master_List_(2026-09).pdf (accessed 2026-10-16)
  2. plasil2014: Plasil J, Sejkora J, Skoda R, Skacha P (2014). The recent weathering of uraninite from the Cervena vein, Jachymov (Czech Republic): a fingerprint of the primary mineralization geochemistry onto the alteration association. Journal of Geosciences 59:223-253. DOI 10.3190/jgeosci.171. Complete publisher PDF acquired; locality and methods pages 223-225, zippeite occurrence pages 242-243, Figures 13-14 page 244, original zippeite II powder cell in Table 29 page 247 and interpretation pages 249-250 inspected. The 2011 single-crystal results reproduced here are not a new independent measurement. The linked supplement concerns uranopilite, not zippeite.
    https://doi.org/10.3190/jgeosci.171 (accessed 2026-10-16)
  3. burns2003: Burns PC, Deely KM, Hayden LA (2003). The crystal chemistry of the zippeite group. Canadian Mineralogist 41:687-706. DOI 10.2113/gscanmin.41.3.687. Complete original PDF acquired; abstract and methods pages 687-690, Table 1 and zippeite refinement discussion inspected for synthetic identity context. The K3(H2O)3[(UO2)4(SO4)2O3(OH)] preparation is not adopted as an unqualified synthesis of the current natural K2/4H2O species or a demonstration of mineral-specific recovery.
    https://doi.org/10.2113/gscanmin.41.3.687 (accessed 2026-10-16)

Curation History

Timestamp Curator Action Summary
2026-10-16T09:26:02Z codex (GPT-6; codex) CREATE Added verified natural mineral identity and primary specimen evidence with synthetic, hydration and access limits.

Record source: data/records/zippeite.yaml