Françoisite-(Ce), a new mineral species from La Creusaz uranium deposit (Valais, Switzerland) and from Radium Ridge (Flinders Ranges, South Australia): Description and genesis

Abstract

The new mineral françoisite-(Ce), (Ce,Nd,Ca)[(UO₂)₃O(OH)(PO₄)₂]·6H₂O is the Ce-analog of françoisite-(Nd). It has been discovered simultaneously at the La Creusaz uranium deposit near Les Marécottes in Valais, Switzerland, and at the Number 2 uranium Workings, Radium Ridge near Mt. Painter, Arkaroola area, Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Françoisite-(Ce) is a uranylbearing supergene mineral that results from the alteration under oxidative conditions of REE- and U⁴⁺- bearing hypogene minerals: allanite-(Ce), monazite-(Ce), ±uraninite at Les Marécottes; monazite-(Ce), ishikawaite-samarskite, and an unknown primary U-mineral at Radium Ridge. The REE composition of françoisite-(Ce) results from a short aqueous transport of REE leached out of primary minerals [most likely monazite-(Ce) at Radium Ridge and allanite-(Ce) at La Creusaz], with fractionation among REE resulting mainly from aqueous transport, with only limited Ce loss due to oxidation to Ce⁴⁺ during transport.