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Formula: Al(UO2)2(AsO4)2F.6.5H2O
Hydrated arsenate, uranyl mineral
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.62 measured, 3.585 calculated
Hardness: 2½
Colour: Yellow
Luminescence: Bright green under long wave UV
Solubility: Soluble in hydrochloric acid at room temperature
Very strongly RADIOACTIVE
Environments
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments
Localities
The type locality, the Bota-Burum U deposit, Alakol District, Jetisu Region, Kazakhstan, is restricted to the
Devonian (419 to 359 million years ago) carbonatised
porphyries and their tuff
breccias. It is a hydrothermal
uranium deposit that underwent
primary hydrothermal and subsequent
supergene alteration.
Primary hydrothermal mineralisation in this deposit is mainly
represented by pitchblende and sulphides with abundant
arsenopyrite. Oxidation of
arsenopyrite in the
supergene zone produced a wide range of
arsenates including
natrouranospinite,
scorodite, mansfieldite,
metazeunerite, trögerite and
arseniosiderite. Other minerals associated with chistyakovaite
include pyrite, galena and
arsenopyrite.
Chistyakovaite forms imperfect, strongly flattened yellow crystals up to 2 mm across and their intergrowths
(Doklady Earth Science 407.2.290–293, Mindat).
Christyakovaite from Bota-Burum - Image
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