Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl mineral, compreignacite, K2[(UO2)3O2(OH)3]2•7H2O

Raman spectra of the uranyl oxyhydroxy-hydrated mineral compreignacite, K-2[(UO2)(3)O-2(OH)(3)](2)center dot 7H(2)O, were measured and interpreted. Observed bands were attributed to the stretching and bending vibrations of uranyl units, molecular water and hydroxyl ions. U-O bond lengths in uranyl and O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bond lengths were inferred from the spectra and compared with those from the X-ray single crystal structure data. The importance of this spectroscopic study rests with the ability to analyze very small amounts of the mineral. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.