Metaautunite
specimen number:
2262109
location:
Daybreak Mine, Spokane County, Washington, USA
description: The Daybreak Mine, located on Mount Kit Carson in Spokane County, Washington, is one of the most famous uranium localities in the United States. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within the Cretaceous-aged Mount Spokane Granite, where secondary uranium minerals formed along shear zones and fractures through the weathering of primary uraninite. The site is legendary for producing some of the world's finest meta-autunite specimens, which occur as large, platy, neon-green crystals that exhibit intense yellowish-green fluorescence under ultraviolet light. These crystals frequently form spectacular "books" or fan-like aggregates that can reach several inches in size. Historically, the mine was discovered in 1954 by Alfred Dahl and became the first commercial uranium producer in the state of Washington. It operated primarily during the uranium boom of the mid-to-late 1950s, with significant shipments made to the Atomic Energy Commission until production slowed in the early 1960s. Although large-scale mining has long since ceased, the Daybreak Mine remains an iconic locality for mineralogists due to the exceptional size and aesthetic quality of its radioactive crystallized phosphates.
A cluster of greenish yellow platy crystals of metaautunite without matrix. Classic locality for the species. In good condition and brightly fluorescent.
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