Meitnerite is a rare uranium sulfate, typically slightly greenish yellow. Associated minerals include beshtauite, gypsum and quartz. It was first described from Green Lizard Mine, White Canyon mining district, San Juan County, Utah, USA.
Is this meitnerite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch meitnerite with a known reference. Meitnerite sits at Mohs ~2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: very pale yellow.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: slightly greenish yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals.
Often confused with
Meitnerite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Triplite is the harder of the two (Mohs 5-5.5 vs. ~2); streak differs, so Meitnerite leaves very pale yellow, Triplite leaves white to brown.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Meitnerite leaves very pale yellow, Vivianite leaves white, altering to dark blue, brown.
Often found alongside meitnerite
Minerals reported to co-occur with meitnerite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (NH₄)(UO₂)(SO₄)(OH)·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- ~2
- Density
- 3.320 g/cm³
- Colors
- Slightly greenish yellow
- Streak
- Very pale yellow
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular crystals
- Cleavage
- Perfect on {011̄}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- As efflorescent crusts on the surfaces of mine walls by oxidation in the humid underground environment of a Colorado Plateau type, roll-front uranium deposit in organic-rich former stream channel sediment
Where rockhounds find meitnerite
Classic worldwide localities
- Green Lizard Mine, White Canyon mining district, San Juan County, Utah, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: As efflorescent crusts on the surfaces of mine walls by oxidation in the humid underground environment of a Colorado Plateau type, roll-front uranium deposit in organic-rich former stream channel sediment. If you start seeing beshtauite, gypsum, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: tabular crystals. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify meitnerite?+
Where is meitnerite found?+
Is meitnerite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like meitnerite?+
What minerals are found with meitnerite?+
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Find meitnerite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
