Upalite
An aluminium uranyl phosphate named for its three key elements — U, P and Al.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Upalite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the phosphate class, with the chemical formula Al(UO₂)₃(PO₄)₂O(OH)·7H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/a).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3; specific gravity 3.9; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Upa, IMA status: approved, named in 1978.
A rare secondary mineral found in the oxidized uraniferous zone of a complex granite pegmatite.
It is found associated with Meta-autunite, phosphuranylite, threadgoldite, phuralumite.
The name refers to Uranium, Phosphorus, and ALuminum in the composition.
Index entry. This entry combines official IMA/RRUFF species data with published physical-property data and a Wikipedia introduction — a full written entry hasn’t been published yet.
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