Chernikovite is a rare secondary uranium phosphate mineral that typically forms as a dehydration product of autunite. It is characterized by its bright yellow, platy or micaceous crystal habit and exhibits strong green fluorescence under ultraviolet light.

Hardness

2-2.5

Mohs

Luster

Vitreous

Streak

Yellow white

Transparency

Transparent

mineralrareMeta-autunite Group family

Chernikovite

Hardness: 2-2.5
Luster: Vitreous
Streak: Yellow white
Transparency: Transparent

Is this chernikovite?

5-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch chernikovite with a known reference. Chernikovite sits at Mohs 2-2.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Check the streak
Drag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow white.
3
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
4
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: light yellow.
5
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: tetragonal. Typical habit: micaceous.

Often confused with

Chernikovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Meta-autunite

Mohs 2-2.5

How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Chernikovite and pearly to dull on Meta-autunite.

How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Chernikovite leaves yellow white, Torbernite leaves pale green.

Compare →

Often found alongside chernikovite

Minerals reported to co-occur with chernikovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: (H₃O)₂(UO₂)₂(PO₄)₂·6H₂O
Mohs hardness: 2-2.5
Density: 3.259 g/cm³
Colors: Light yellow
Streak: Yellow white
Luster: Vitreous
Transparency: Transparent
Crystal system: Tetragonal
Crystal habit: Micaceous
Cleavage: Perfect on {001}; imperfect on {010}
Fluorescence: Intense yellow green under SW and LW UV
Rarity: Rare
Uses: Collector
Host rock: In fissures in quartz syenite and around fossil wood (Karakat deposit, Tajikistan); along fractures in tourmaline-bearing granites and granite pegmatites (Perus district, Brazil)

Where rockhounds find chernikovite

Classic worldwide localities

Karakat uranium deposit, 60 km northwest of Khodzhent (Leninabad), Karamazar Mountains, Tajikistan
Perus district, 25 km north of São Paulo, Brazil
Rockelmann quarry, near Schwarzenberg, Saxony, and from Ronneburg, Thuringia, Germany

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: In fissures in quartz syenite and around fossil wood (Karakat deposit, Tajikistan); along fractures in tourmaline-bearing granites and granite pegmatites (Perus district, Brazil). If you start seeing autunite, meta-autunite, sodium autunite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: micaceous. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

Common questions

How do you identify chernikovite?+

Mohs hardness is 2-2.5. Luster: vitreous. The streak is yellow white. Common colors include light yellow.

Where is chernikovite found?+

Notable localities include Karakat uranium deposit, 60 km northwest of Khodzhent (Leninabad), Karamazar Mountains, Tajikistan; Perus district, 25 km north of São Paulo, Brazil; Rockelmann quarry, near Schwarzenberg, Saxony, and from Ronneburg, Thuringia, Germany.

Is chernikovite safe to handle?+

Chernikovite contains uranium or thorium and calls for real care. Radioactive mineral. Store in a shielded container away from living areas. Handle with care, wear gloves, and wash hands thoroughly after contact to avoid ingestion or inhalation of radioactive dust.

What rocks look like chernikovite?+

Chernikovite is most often confused with Meta-autunite, Torbernite. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with chernikovite?+

Chernikovite commonly co-occurs with Autunite, Meta-autunite, Sodium autunite, Uranophane, Uranophane-beta, Phosphuranylite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does chernikovite form in?+

Where it forms: In fissures in quartz syenite and around fossil wood (Karakat deposit, Tajikistan); along fractures in tourmaline-bearing granites and granite pegmatites (Perus district, Brazil). Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is chernikovite used for?+

Chernikovite is used in collector.

Find chernikovite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.