The Kamoto mine, the type locality for shabaite-(Nd), is the largest active cobalt mine in the world.
It is located in Lualaba province, which, when the Congo was known as Zaire, was part of Shaba province,
which was then renamed Katanga province, and then split into four smaller provinces, including Lualaba. Hence,
by a complicated geopolitical route, shabaite-(Nd) was named for its type locality.
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Formula: CaNd2(UO2)(CO3)4(OH)2.6H2O
Hydrated carbonate, uranyl mineral,
neodymium-bearing
Crystal System: Triclinic
Specific gravity: 3.13 measured, 2.926 calculated
Hardness: 2½
Streak: White
Colour: Pale yellow-green, beige
Solubility: Soluble in hydrochloric acid
Very strongly RADIOACTIVE
Environments
Although shabaite-(Nd) was approved in 1988, to date (July 2023) it has been reported only from the type
locality.
Localities
At the type locality, the Kamoto East Open cut, Kamoto, Kolwezi mining district, Mutshatsha, Lualaba, DR Congo,
shabaite occurs as pale yellow micaceous flakes and as rosettes up to 5 mm in diameter. The mineral, which is
secondary, occurs with
uraninite, uranophane,
kamotoite-(Y),
astrocyanite-(Ce),
francoisite-(Nd),
schuilingite-(Nd) and
masuyite in the oxidised zone of the
uranium-bearing copper -
cobalt deposit
(AM 75.1.433-434, HOM).
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