Sklodowskite on Gypsum — Chihuahua, Mexico. Ex. Jack Nieburger Collection

Jack Nieburger was a meticulous and knowledgeable collector whose accumulated material has been a consistent source of quality specimens for serious buyers. His name on provenance indicates careful acquisition and reliable identification — a meaningful credential in a mineralogical category where misidentification is not uncommon.

Sklodowskite — the magnesium uranyl silicate, named in honour of Marie Skłodowska-Curie — is a secondary uranium mineral of the uranophane group that forms characteristically as bright yellow to greenish-yellow acicular or prismatic crystals, often in radiating or felted aggregates with a silky lustre. The association with gypsum matrix from the Chihuahua occurrence provides both physical context and visual contrast, the pale white to colourless gypsum setting off the intensely coloured uranium silicate effectively.

Mexican uranium secondary mineral specimens are less commonly encountered in the trade than their Colorado Plateau or Central African counterparts, giving this piece a degree of geographic distinction in addition to its species and provenance interest. Strongly fluorescent under shortwave UV. A refined and well-provenanced example of a mineral named for one of history's most significant scientists.

Approx. specimen size: 50mm x 30mm x 20mm

Approx. specimen weight: 26.61 grams

Approx. specimen activity on an SE International Ranger EXP: 600 CPM