Home > Secondary Minerals – May 24 > MS0687 Becquerelite, Rutherfordine

Becquerelite, Rutherfordine - Sold


This is specimen is a fragment of oxidized uraninite, pitchblende ore, from the world's richest uranium deposit. Becquerelite is a calcium uranium oxide mineral, here forming slender yellow crystals. The name honors French physicist Antoine Henri Becquerel (1852–1908), who discovered radioactivity in 1896. Also present on this specimen is minor fourmarierite, another hydrated uranium mineral, with forms orange spheroids on this specimen. The Shinkolobwe mine is the type locality for both species. This specimen is a mounted micromount from the Julius Weber collection.