HISTORICAL INFORMATION – Dr. Eugene B. Gross collection

It is only by luck and/or good fortune that we have any specimens surviving in collections from the “Uranium rush” era of the 1950’s to early 1960’s.  During that period, the United States government encouraged prospecting and mining for Uranium in the Colorado Plateau area, generally including Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as parts of Wyoming.  Everything radioactive was processed in the name of the “arms race”, i.e., at the time of the cold war with Russia.  Unfortunately, the Russians were doing the same at Jachymov, Czechoslovakia and other Central European localities, to get ready for a possible war with the USA.  The U.S. government was, at the same time, purchasing quantities of radioactive minerals (mostly Uraninite) from the famous mine at Shinkolobwe and other mining districts in Zaire.  Untold numbers of fine examples of Uraninite and other uranium-bearing ore minerals were undoubtedly destroyed in the course of processing the ores from these uranium-rich deposits for defense purposes.  Many of the specimens from USA localities, described within the radioactive minerals section of our web site, are from the Eugene B. Gross collection, and are historical specimens from this mining era.  Dr. Gross worked for the Atomic Energy Commission during the late 1950’s to early 1960’s and was personally responsible for collecting these historically important specimens, and preserving them in his private collection.  Other unique radioactive mineral specimens from world wide locations will also be found on the following pages.

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Scroll to the bottom of this page for links to more radioactive mineral specimens. 

GUMMITE”, URANINITE, KASOLITE, CURITE, URANOPHANE, β-URANOPHANE, PHOSPHURANYLITE, META-AUTUNITE    
Ruggles Mine, Grafton, Grafton Co., New Hampshire

This world-renowned Eastern USA locality for uranium-bearing minerals has been known for more than 200 years, since 1803.  This is quite a long history for any mineral locality in the USA, since the USA has only been an entity since 1776 – 235 years!   Mining was initially begun for Mica (Muscovite), used at that time in the manufacture of lamps and stoves!  The importance of uranium-bearing minerals was noted by mineral collectors in the mid-1930’s, however, the mine was operated commercially as a producer of Beryl and Feldspar up until 1959. 

“Gummite” is a generic term for a mixture of uranium-bearing minerals, usually consisting of Kasolite, Curite, Soddyite, Uranophane, and several others.  The Ruggles Mine has been famous among mineral collectors as a source for “Gummite” specimens, and other radioactive minerals, and is popular as a source of material for preparing autoradiographs, i.e., photographic records that generally produce a black and white dendrite-like image when the specimen is exposed to a sheet of photographic film for 8-12 hours.  If you have a copy of “Systematic Mineralogy of Uranium and Thorium”, by C. Frondel (USGS Bulletin 1064) in your reference library please refer to page 8, and  Plate 1, facing page 32 for additional information on autoradiographs.

The single specimen available consists of a thick mass of off-white color Feldspar matrix, i.e., the typical Ruggles  Mine ore.  A ancient microscopic split in the Feldspar matrix, seen in the accompanying photograph, was filled in by a later deposition of Muscovite before the uranium-bearing minerals were formed.  “Gummite” and Uraninite are surrounded by rich amounts of light yellow massive Uranophane and Phosphuranylite. A very small amount of Meta-Autunite is also present. Nice old historical specimen!  Rick Dalrymple collection.

Specimen size:  3 1/4” X 3 1/4” across, X up to 2 1/2” thick
Weight:  502.60 grams
mR/hr @ 1”:  > 50
CPM @ 1”:    > 30,000
Order Item MI-1825
Price:   $400.00

URANINITE  
Uranium Mine #3, Kamenna Shaft, Pribram, Central Bohemia, Czech. Republic

Mining has been under way at this famous mining district since the 13^th Century.  The first mines concentrated on recovery of Silver-bearing ore minerals.  Although the last mine in the region closed in 1978, and collecting is officially forbidden, specimens occasionally appear.  When Czechoslovakia was under Communist control, during the “cold war”, there were several localities in Czechoslovakia that were worked by the Russians for Uranium – Pribram was one of these localities.  The specimens offered here were collected in the early 1960’s, and were held secretly in a private collection in Czechoslovakia.  Under Communist control, it was illegal to collect specimens at the mines, and illegal to own them.   These specimens have been hidden underground in Czechoslovakia for more than 40 years and only recently brought out of the country. 

Pribram produced botryoidal, as well as massive veins of Uraninite.  On these specimens Uraninite is present as  shiny black massive veins averaging 1/4” to 3/8” thick, running through the center of each specimen.  The shiny black Uraninite veins are bordered on one side by a thicker, +/- 3/4” to 1” wide, dark brownish-black vein of massive Coffinite on each specimen.  One can see the botryoidal structure of the Uraninite, for which the Pribram district is famous, presented as a “side view” in these specimens with the Coffinite filling in the tops of the botryoidal formations.  Uraninite is:  UO₂   Coffinite is:  USiO₄^.nH₂O

In the table below, the gram weights are given strictly as a measure of the size of the specimens.  These specimens are actually a split, mirror image, matched pair with the veins of massive black Uraninite and Coffinite running through the center of each specimen.  If purchased separately, the prices in the table are net.  If purchased as a pair, they qualify for a 20% quantity discount and the pair can be purchased at $335.00.

For background reading on this famous mineral locality, see the “Mineralogical Record” magazine, May-June 1981, P. 157-165.  .

METATORBERNITE  
Musonoi Mine, Shaba Province, Zaire

The basic description for Metatorbernite from this locality is that the mineral forms lustrous, tabular, medium to dark emerald green crystals, often standing up on edge, tightly intergrown, usually with a very rich coverage of intergrown crystals on the surface of the matrix.  Metatorbernite is a copper and uranium-bearing phosphate -- a member of the Autunite group.  Chemical composition is:  Cu²⁺(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂)^.8H₂O.  Not fluorescent.  In the past, the Musonoi Mine has produced what are certainly among the finest specimens of Metatorbernite found, worldwide.  At the present time, specimens are very difficult to obtain.    Most specimens in this group have Metatorbernite only, without associated mineralization, however, on a few specimens small amounts of black massive Heterogenite are present.  NOTE:  Small specimens have smaller amounts of Metatorbernite crystals, so the overall mR/hr and CPM readings are naturally lower on the small specimens, than the readings given for the larger examples.  Pricing is according to the crystal size, as well as relative to the richness of crystallization, and overall specimen size,   See the notes below the table for information on some of the individual specimens.

 For background information on this locality see the Katanga! special issue of the "Mineralogical Record" magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4, July-August 1989, P.  274-275, and 286.  If you do not have this invaluable reference on the Uranium mines and minerals of the Shaba Province in Zaire, we have copies available for purchase, priced at $20.00 plus shipping.  Order item MR20-4.

NOTES: *   MI-1673    This specimen also has very rich deposition of Metatorbernite xls. covering more than 75% of the                         back of the specimen. #   MI-1675    The entire top surface of this specimen was coated with a thick layer of velvet black Heterogenite                         prior to the formation of the tabular, dark green  Metatorbernite crystals. **   MI-1676  There is a very thin coating of massive, bright magenta-pink cobaltian Calcite associated with micro xline Quartz on the back of the specimen.
MI-1673	MI-1651	MI-1652	MI-1674	MI-1675
MI-1653	MI-1654	MI-1345	MI-1676	MI-1350

SAMARSKITE-(Y) 

Little Patsy Pegmatite, South Platte Pegmatite District, Jefferson County, Colorado
Also from the historical collection of Dr. Eugene B. Gross (see Hidden Valley Mine specimens above), this is an extra rich example of very shiny, solid black Samarskite-(Y) with a small amount of pinkish-tan color Microcline Feldspar matrix. 

TYUYAMUNITE
Monument #2 Mine, Monument Valley, Apache County, Arizona
These examples of bright golden-yellow Tyuyamunite are from the Dr. Eugene B. Gross collection of Uranium-bearing minerals, probably personally collected by Dr. Gross during the early 1960’s.   All specimens are of very good, to exceptional quality for this mineral, from a mine that is now a part of the history of the “Uranium rush” of the late 1950’s to early 1960’s.  The gram weights are given, as well as the sizes of the specimens in inches, plus readings with the CD V-700, to assist you in determining the relative richness of the Tyuyamunite.  The gram weights are given solely as a measure of specimen size.  Specimens are not priced by the gram. Tyuyamunite is: Ca(UO₂)₂V₂O₈^.5-8H₂O
 

MI-1356

MI1357

SCHOEPITE, URANINITE, ETC.
Lookout # 22 Claim, Marshall Pass District, Saguache Co., Colorado

This is our fourth offer of specimens from the Lookout #22 Claim.  These specimens were part of the Dr. Eugene B. Gross collection of Uraninite and other Uranium-bearing minerals from Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, and other “Colorado Plateau” localities.  Dr. Gross worked with both the U.S.G.S. and A.E.C. during his professional career, and one of his specialties was the radioactive mineral deposits of the Southwestern USA.

 In this group we are featuring the secondary minerals from the Lookout #22 Claim.  Several of the specimens have modest amounts of massive black Uraninite present, however, the secondary minerals are the primary focus this time.  A list of the mineral species identified from this locality will be sent along with each of the specimens.  Minerals identified on these specimens include one or more of the following, all in massive form: Schoepite, Becquerelite, Uranophane, Boltwoodite, Soddyite, Compreignacite, Uraninite, and/or Metazeunerite.  Schoepite is yellow-golden in color, and is most often seen as veins and micro botryoidal forms.  Metazeunerite is light green, platy to crystalline. Uraninite is black.   All of the other minerals occur in various colors of yellow, yellow-golden, etc.  It is not possible to visually identify or differentiate the various yellow to golden color minerals.  All are highly radioactive!

 A 10% quantity discount is applicable to items H. through L., and the 10% quantity discount has already been deducted in the price printed below.  Why price by the gram?  Uraninite is heavy!  With a measured specific gravity of between 6.5 and 10.0, Uraninite is one of the heaviest of the non-metallic minerals.  Giving the gram weights, as well as the sizes of the specimens in inches, will hopefully assist you in determining the relative richness of the Uraninite.  Order MI-1284, items A. through L.

 The Uraninite from the Lookout # 22 Claim is described on Page 514 in “Minerals of Colorado”, and the secondary uranium-bearing minerals are described on numerous pages within the book.   Click here to access the description of “Minerals of Colorado”, along with a color photo of the book jacket, if you do not have this book in your reference library.  (books 7, item 7-6)

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