Nuragheite is a rare natural thorium molybdate, formula Th(MoO4)2·H2O, discovered in Su Seinargiu, Sarroch, Cagliari, Sardegna, Italy.Orlandi, P., Biagioni, C., Bindi, L., and Merlino, S., 2015. Nuragheite, Th(MoO4)2·H2O, the second natural thorium molybdate and its relationships to ichnusaite and synthetic Th(MoO4)2. American Mineralogist 100(1), 267-273 This locality is also a place of discovery of the other thorium molybdate - ichnusaite, which is a trihydrate.
Occurrence and association Nuragheite is a part of molybdenum-bismuth mineralization. It coexists with ichnusaite, muscovite, and xenotime-(Y).
Notes on chemistry Nuragheite is chemically pure.
Crystal structure The crystal structure of nuragheite is composed of (100) layers with IXTh-centered polyhedra and Mo-centered tetrahedra. It is thus similar to that of ichnusaite.
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