The crystal structure of ulrichite, CaCu2+(UO2)(PO4)2·4H2O (space group P21/c, a = 12.784(3), b = 6.996(1), c = 13.007(3) Å , β = 91.92(1)°, V = 1162.7(4) Å3, Z = 4) was redetermined using X-ray diffraction data measured from a twinned crystal with Mo-Kα radiation and a CCD area detector (2510 unique reflections with Fo > 4σ(Fo), R1 = 8.8%). Ulrichite crystallizes in space group P21/c rather than C2/m reported previously. The newly determined atomic positions give reasonable coordination polyhedra. One unique Ca atom is irregularly coordinated by eight O atoms (<Ca–O> = 2.46 Å). One unique U atom shows a [2+5] coordination with characteristic bond angles and lengths (1.806(11) Å, 1.842(12) Å and five bonds between 2.252(15) and 2.441(11) Å). Furthermore, the structure contains groups in which strongly elongated CuO6 ‘octahedra’ (also describable as CuO4 squares) are corner-linked to two PO4 tetrahedra via two opposite, equatorial O atoms. Edge- and corner-sharing UO7, CaO8 and PO4 polyhedra form heteropolyhedral sheets parallel to (001) that are linked to adjacent sheets via the CuO6 ‘octahedra’ and hydrogen bonds.

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