Liebigite is a secondary uranium mineral characterized by its bright yellow to greenish-yellow color and intense fluorescence under ultraviolet light. It is commonly found as crusts or small crystalline aggregates in the oxidized zones of uranium deposits and requires careful handling due to its radioactivity.
Is this liebigite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch liebigite with a known reference. Liebigite sits at Mohs 2-3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellow white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous to pearly on cleavages.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: green, yellow green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: short prismatic crystals, crusts, radial aggregates.
Often confused with
Liebigite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside liebigite
Minerals reported to co-occur with liebigite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₂UO₂(CO₃)₃·11H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2-3
- Density
- 2.41 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellow white
- Luster
- Vitreous to pearly on cleavages
- Transparency
- Transparent to translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Short prismatic crystals, crusts, radial aggregates
- Cleavage
- On {100}
- Fluorescence
- Green under SW and LW UV
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- An uncommon secondary mineral typically formed as an alteration product of uraninite in alkaline carbonate solutions
Where rockhounds find liebigite
Classic worldwide localities
- Midnite mine, Wellpinit, Stevens Co., Washington, USA
- Schwartzwalder mine, near Golden, Jefferson Co., Colorado, USA
- Pumpkin Buttes area, Powder River basin, and at the Silver Cliff mine, Lusk, Niobrara Co., and in the Lucky Mc mine, Wind River basin, Fremont Co., Wyoming, USA
- Black Ape mine, Thompsons district, Grand Co., and in the Mi Vida mine, Big Indian district, San Juan Co., Utah, USA
- Edirne (Adrianople) Province, Turkey
- A number of mines around Jáchymov (Joachimsthal), Czech Republic
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: An uncommon secondary mineral typically formed as an alteration product of uraninite in alkaline carbonate solutions. If you start seeing uraninite, schröckingerite, uranophane-beta in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: short prismatic crystals, crusts, radial aggregates. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify liebigite?+
Where is liebigite found?+
Is liebigite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like liebigite?+
What minerals are found with liebigite?+
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What is liebigite used for?+
Find liebigite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
