Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 29, 2026

Belakovskiite

Belakovskiite is a very rare uranium mineral with the formula Na7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3. It is interesting in being a natural uranyl salt with hydrosulfate anion, a feature shared with meisserite. Other chemically related minerals include fermiite, oppenheimerite, natrozippeite and plášilite. Most of these uranyl sulfate minerals was originally found in the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, US. The mineral is named after Russian mineralogist Dmitry Ilych Belakovskiy.

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Jul 29, 2026
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Belakovskiite
General
CategorySulfate mineral
FormulaNa7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3
IMA symbolBkk1
Crystal systemTriclinic
Crystal classPinacoidal (1)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupP1
Unit cella = 5.46, b = 11.33,
c = 18.42 [Å], α = 104.77°,
β = 90.09°, γ = 96.77° (approximated); Z = 2
Identification
ColorYellow-green
Crystal habitfibrous
CleavageNone
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness2
LusterVitreous
StreakWhite
DiaphaneityTransparent
Density3.31 (calculated); 3.23 (measured)
Optical propertiesBiaxal (+)
Refractive indexnα=1.50, nβ=1.51, nγ=1.52 (approximated)
PleochroismNone
2V angle88o (calculated)
Other characteristics Radioactive
References234

Belakovskiite is a very rare uranium mineral with the formula Na7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3.23 It is interesting in being a natural uranyl salt with hydrosulfate anion, a feature shared with meisserite.5 Other chemically related minerals include fermiite, oppenheimerite, natrozippeite and plášilite.6789 Most of these uranyl sulfate minerals was originally found in the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, US.10 The mineral is named after Russian mineralogist Dmitry Ilych Belakovskiy.2

Association

Belakovskiite is associated with other sulfate minerals: meisserite, blödite, ferrinatrite, kröhnkite, and metavoltine.2 This association is found as efflorescences on a sandstone associated with uranium mineralization.4

Crystal structure

The framework of belakovskiite crystal structure is a hexavalent cluster with composition (UO2)(SO4)4(H2O). Such clusters are connected via Na-O and hydrogen bonds.2

References

References

  1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. Kampf, A.R., Plášil, J., Kasatkin, A.V., and Marty, J., 2014. Belakovskiite, Na7(UO2)(SO4)4(SO3OH)(H2O)3, a new uranyl sulfate mineral from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA. Mineralogical Magazine 78(3), 639-649
  3. "Belakovskiite: Belakovskiite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  4. "Belakovskiite - Handbook of Mineralogy" (PDF). Handbookofmineralogy.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  5. "Meisserite: Meisserite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  6. "Fermiite: Fermiite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  7. "Oppenheimerite: Oppenheimerite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  8. "Natrozippeite: Natrozippeite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  9. "Plášilite: Plášilite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  10. "Blue Lizard Mine, Chocolate Drop, Red Canyon, White Canyon District, San Juan Co., Utah, USA - Mindat.org". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-10.