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Formula: Na7(UO2)(SO4)4Cl(H2O)2
Sulphate, uranyl mineral
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.116 calculated for the empirical formula
Hardness: 2
Streak: Yellowish white
Colour: Pale yellow
Luminescence: Bright yellow-green fluorescence under both long wave and short wave UV
RADIOACTIVE
Environments
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments
Bluelizardite is a relatively new mineral, approved in 2013 and to date (December 2025) reported only from the
Red Canyon Mining District.
Localities
At the type locality, the Blue Lizard Mine, Red Canyon Mining District, San Juan County, Utah, USA,
bluelizardite was found underground. The Blue Lizard mine is also the type locality for the recently (in 2013)
described new minerals manganoblödite,
cobaltoblödite,
belakovskiite and meisserite.
The mineral association described here is of supergene origin,
related to post-mining processes (the mine was closed in 1978), which include
supergene oxidation of
primary ores
(uraninite, pyrite and
chalcopyrite disseminated in lenses of organic matter) in the humid
underground environment, which led to the formation of a variety of
secondary minerals, mainly sulphates, occurring as efflorescent
crusts on the surfaces of mine walls.
Minerals found in direct spatial association with bluelizardite include
chalcanthite, copiapite,
ferrinatrite, gypsum,
johannite, kröhnkite and several
new (in 2013), unnamed Na- and Mg-containing uranyl sulphates.
Primary minerals in the general assemblage include
baryte, bornite,
calcite, chalcopyrite,
covellite, feldspar,
pyrite, quartz and
uraninite.
Supergene, post-mining minerals in the general assemblage
include atacamite,
belakovskiite, blödite,
cobaltoblödite and
manganoblödite,
brochantite, chalcanthite,
copiapite, cyanotrichite,
d’ansite-(Mn),
ferrinatrite, gypsum,
halotrichite, johannite,
meisserite, metavoltine,
natrozippeite,
pseudojohannite, römerite,
rhomboclase, sideronatrite
and tamarugite.
Bluelizardite forms as long bladed crystals up to 0.4 mm long in hedgehog-like aggregates in association with
other uranyl sulphate minerals
(Journal of GEOsciences 59.2.145-158).
Bluelizardite from the Blue Lizard Mine -
Image
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