How do I identify Paramontroseite?

Paramontroseite can be identified by its Black color. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Paramontroseite?

Paramontroseite typically appears in Black. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

Paramontroseite

A variety of Minerals

What is Paramontroseite?

Paramontroseite (VO2) is a relatively rare orthorhombic vanadium oxide mineral in the Ramsdellite group. Synthetic paramontroseite may have applications in medicine, batteries and electronics.

Paramontroseite Market Value Calculator

Estimate the market value of Paramontroseite using size, quality, and finish. This preview calculator is for quick context and is not a formal appraisal.

Paramontroseite Localities Map

See where Paramontroseite is found with a localities map, collecting zones, and geology context. Generate a sample map preview below.

Map preview

North ZoneCentral RidgeSouth Basin

Geochemistry

The X-ray powder diffraction pattern for a Bitter Creek mine sample is 3.39 (100), 2.645 (50), 4.35 (35), 2.213 (35), 1.426 (35), 2.479 (25), 2.179 (25). In this sample the chemistry was: A sample from Matchless mine, Colorado, USA had chemistry: The measured chemistry of a microprobe fragment in the gray phase by the RRUFF project gave metals in the ratio: V (82%), Fe (9%), U (4%) and Al (2%), with one metal atom per two oxygen atoms. The lightest phase was uranophane.

Key Characteristics

Formation of Paramontroseite

Paramontroseite is associated with montroseite and corvusite. It is found in relatively unoxidized Colorado Plateau-type uranium–vanadium ores in sandstones. The type locality is Bitter Creek Mine, Paradox Valley, Uravan District, Montrose County, Colorado, USA. In the USA it is found in Montrose County, Colorado, San Miguel County, Colorado, Mesa County, Colorado, Emery County, Utah, Apache County, Arizona, McKinley County, New Mexico and Fall River County, South Dakota. It has also been reported from locations in the Czech Republic, Mendoza Province, Argentina and the Mounana uranium mine near Franceville, Gabon. Paramontrosite has also been found in an outcrop on the Van Irvine Ranch in the Pumpkin Buttes area of Wyoming, USA, associated with sulfides in red sandstone. It is found in a zone where the sandstone changes color from red to gray. The black paramontroseite cements grains of sand into nodular masses that enclose smaller pyrite masses. The irregular concretionary masses are up to 1 foot (0.30 m) across. Vanadium salts have given a greenish coating to the exposed surfaces of these masses. The masses are anomalously radioactive and the surrounding sandstone is weakly radioactive. The radioactivity is mostly caused by tiny specks of coffinite in the paramontroseite. When a section is polished the paramontroseite completely fills the gaps between the grains of sand. It is very soft and has a gray color that is slightly lighter than quartz gray. There is strong anisotrophism and many bright multi-colored internal reflections. Deposits of montroseite (V,Fe)OOH and paramontroseite VO2 have been found in the Saltwash Sandstone Member of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation in the Colorado Plateau. From the diffraction characteristics of the paramontroseite there seem to be two distinct generations: a primary paramontroseite with good crystalline structure and a product of montroseite oxidation with poor crystalline structure. The paramontroseite found in this region is among the neutral minerals in the mid-range of vanadium valence (+4) above the primary ore of montroseite (+3) but below minerals such as carnotite (+5) and pascoite (+5).