Leószilárdite Explained

Leószilárdite
Category:	Carbonate mineral
Formula:	Na6Mg(UO2)2(CO3)6·6H2O
Imasymbol:	Lsz^[1]
System:	Monoclinic
Class:	2/m - Prismatic
Color:	Pale yellow or tan
References:	^[2]

Leószilárdite is a mineral discovered by Travis Olds of the University of Notre Dame and colleagues in the Markey Mine in Utah, USA.^[3] They named the mineral in honor of Leó Szilárd, Hungarian-born physicist and inventor. Leószilárdite is the first naturally occurring sodium- and magnesium-containing uranyl carbonate. It is rare and water-soluble, and was discovered on a seam of carbon-rich material deposited by an ancient stream. Groundwater reacted with the uraninite ore to create leószilárdite and other minerals.^[4]

Localities

USA

Markey Mine, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan County, Utah^[2]

Notes and References

1. Warr. L.N.. 2021. IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine. 85. 3 . 291–320. 10.1180/mgm.2021.43 . 2021MinM...85..291W . 235729616 . free.
2. Web site: Leószilárdite: Leószilárdite mineral information and data.. www.mindat.org. 2017-09-04.
3. Travis. Olds . etal . June 2016. Leoszilardite, IMA 2015-128. Mineralogical Magazine. 80. 694.
4. Web site: New Mineral Listing Carbon Mineral Challenge. mineralchallenge.net. en-US. 2017-09-04. 2017-09-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20170905053051/http://mineralchallenge.net/new-mineral-listing/#Marklite. dead.