davidite
davidite crystal from Mozambique
Detailed sheet
davidite
Discovered at Radium Hill Mine in Australia, its name honors the Australian geologist Edgeworth David (1858-1934).
It contains uranium and so is naturally radioactive.
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(La,Ce,Ca)(Y,U)(Ti,Fe)20O38
rare earth oxide
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Main color
black
Other colors
brown
black with shades of very dark colors
Color of streak
grey
Luster
metallic
Hardness
5.0 to 6.0
Density
4.50 to 0.00
Cleavage
none
Fracture
conchoidal
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Transparency
opaque
Refractive index
2.300 - 0.000
Double refraction
0.000
none
visible double refraction
No
Pleochroism
absent
Number of colors
1
Fluorescence
none
CRYSTALS PROPERTIES
virtually no well-formed crystals
crystals system
trigonal
OTHER INFORMATIONS
APPROACHING GEMS
Exploited
sites
It is found in Norway, Australia, Namibia (Rossing Uranium Mine), India (Bengal), the United States.
use in jewelry
No use, radioactive stone!
Daily care
and precautions
Precautions for a radioactive stone: keep away from live beings or to be isolated in suitable packaging.
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