Metastudtite is a secondary uranium mineral formed as an alteration product of uraninite. Collectors should look for delicate, fibrous, or acicular yellow to white crusts occurring in uranium-rich hydrothermal environments.
Is this metastudtite?
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 metastudtite with a known reference. Metastudtite sits at Mohs 2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: yellowish white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: silky.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: light yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: acicular or fibrous crystal aggregates, crusts, or coatings.
Often confused with
Metastudtite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Metastudtite leaves yellowish white, Studtite leaves light yellow; luster reads silky on Metastudtite and vitreous on Studtite.
How to tell apart: Vandenbrandeite is the harder of the two (Mohs 4 vs. 2); streak differs, so Metastudtite leaves yellowish white, Vandenbrandeite leaves green; luster reads silky on Metastudtite and vitreous on Vandenbrandeite.
Often found alongside metastudtite
Minerals reported to co-occur with metastudtite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- UO₄·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 4.67 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Yellowish white
- Luster
- Silky
- Transparency
- Semitransparent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Acicular or fibrous crystal aggregates, crusts, or coatings
- Cleavage
- Distinct on {100}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Extremely rare, on museum specimens of dolomite and uraninite, from the oxidized zone of a uranium deposit
Where rockhounds find metastudtite
Classic worldwide localities
- Shinkolobwe, Katanga Province, Congo (Shaba Province, Zaire)
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: Extremely rare, on museum specimens of dolomite and uraninite, from the oxidized zone of a uranium deposit. If you start seeing uraninite, uranophane, soddyite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: acicular or fibrous crystal aggregates, crusts, or coatings. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify metastudtite?+
Where is metastudtite found?+
Is metastudtite safe to handle?+
What rocks look like metastudtite?+
What minerals are found with metastudtite?+
What kind of rock does metastudtite form in?+
What is metastudtite used for?+
Find metastudtite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
