Carnotite
1 in the gallery
Carnotite is a uranium-vanadate mineral with a characteristic bright yellow to yellow-green coloration. It typically forms as crusts, veins, or small prismatic crystals with a resinous to adamantine lustre, and it often appears in tabular to acicular habits associated with secondary uranium minerals. The mineral commonly contains hydrated potassium and uranium oxides, and its presence can indicate uranium- and vanadium-rich geological environments.
- Formula
- K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O
- Rarity
- Common
- Stability
- Moderately Stable
- Collector interest
- Very High Interest
- Classification notes
- Vanadates; Uranyl-vanadate with potassium and water of hydration
Where Carnotite is found
About Carnotite
Notable specimens have come from locales such as the United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where carnotite occurs in flake-like or crystalline aggregates within hydrothermal and sedimentary settings linked to former vanadium or uranium ore deposits. Collectors prize carnotite for its vivid color, relatively robust crystal forms for a uranium mineral, and the historical significance tied to early 20th-century uranium discovery and ore provenance. While not among the rarest uranium minerals, well-formed crystals with clean faces and good color remain sought after by those building a historic or classic uranium mineral collection.