ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Investigating the stability of synthetic analogues of metatorbernite and metazueunerite minerals as a function of temperature

Abstract: Understanding the structure and stability of mineral phases which contain harmful elements, such as U and As, is vital to determine the likelihood of toxic element release into the environment. This proposal investigates a family of minerals called metatobernite we identified at an abandoned mine site in Cornwall. Metatorbernite has the ideal chemical formula Cu(UO)2(PO4)2.8H2)O, we found the minerals also contained As and have the chemical formula Cu(UO)2(PO4)0.5(AsO4)1.5.8H2O. Our studies show that the mineral phases containing As are less stable in solutions of high pH than the pure P containing phases. We have also observed that when heated to temperatures up to 200°C, they breakdown in different ways. Neutron diffraction studies into these mineral phases will allow us to determine their structures and help model their behaviour at different conditions of pH and temperature.

Principal Investigator: Dr Caroline Kirk
Local Contact: Dr Ronald Smith
Experimenter: Dr Sandie Dann
Experimenter: Miss Rebecca Rae
Experimenter: Miss Fiona MacIver- Jones

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB1910215

ISIS Experiment Number: RB1910215

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Dr Caroline Kirk et al; (2019): Investigating the stability of synthetic analogues of metatorbernite and metazueunerite minerals as a function of temperature, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB1910215

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.