Sklodowskite is a uranium mineral with the chemical formula: Mg(UO₂)₂(HSiO₄)₂·5H₂O. It is a

secondary mineral A primary mineral is any mineral formed during the original crystallization of the host igneous primary rock and includes the essential mineral(s) used to classify the rock along with any accessory minerals. In ore deposit geology, hypogene processe ...

which contains

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

and is a bright yellow colour, its

crystal habit In mineralogy, crystal habit is the characteristic external shape of an individual crystal or crystal group. The habit of a crystal is dependent on its crystallographic form and growth conditions, which generally creates irregularities due to l ...

is acicular, but can form in other shapes. It has a

Mohs hardness The Mohs scale of mineral hardness () is a qualitative ordinal scale, from 1 to 10, characterizing scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of harder material to scratch softer material. The scale was introduced in 1812 by th ...

of about 2–3. It is named after the maiden name of

Marie Skłodowska Curie Marie Salomea Skłodowska–Curie ( , , ; born Maria Salomea Skłodowska, ; 7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first ...

. It is the magnesium analogue of the much more common uranium mineral

Cuprosklodowskite Cuprosklodowskite is a secondary uranium mineral formed by alteration of earlier uranium minerals. Its empirical formula is Cu(UO2)2(HSiO4)2·6(H2O). Cuprosklodowskite is a nesosilicate mineral, It is grass green to dark green in color, and its c ...

, which contains

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

instead. It was discovered by (1881–1966) in 1924.

References

*A. Schoep, La sklodowskite, nouveau mineral radioactif, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 179, 143 (1924) Uranium(VI) minerals Monoclinic minerals Minerals in space group 12 {{Mineral-stub