[Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense

Sat Aug 11 01:26:27 PDT 2007

The most sensitive to toxic matters is de human mucous membrane.
It is found around every natural opening in our skin... Mouth (inside
running all the way to the exit lining the intestines), nose, eyes, anus and
vagina. I wonder if ears are an exception? Ears never ooze, do they?

Axel

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com 
> [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com] Namens Kreigh 
> Tomaszewski
> Verzonden: zaterdag 11 augustus 2007 3:22
> Aan: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem 
> collectors
> Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
> 
> Breathing rock dust is never good for you. Getting rock dust 
> on you could be bad depending on what is in it (mercury can 
> be absorbed thru the skin as a nasty example). Wash your 
> hands after handling rocks, especially if they contain 
> anything radioactive. 
> 
> Ingesting rock dust is also very not good. Ingesting or 
> breathing radioactives is very bad. You don't want to eat 
> dust (you may not be able to see) accidently because you 
> forgot to wash your hands; just make it a habit to wash up 
> after being exposed to rocks or minerals, no matter how beneign. 
> 
> Most rocks are pretty safe sitting on a shelf. Mercury can 
> sublimate into the air. Radioactives can release radon. Some 
> asbestos will release fibers into the air. Realgar can 
> release arsenic dust into the air.
> There are others. All are pretty low level problems, but I 
> don't keep rocks in my bedroom.
> 
> Bad effects can be cumulative over time. Heavy metals should 
> come to mind.
> 
> Copper in anything can combine with detergents (not soap) to 
> form quite toxic compounds. Don't use your dishwasher to clean rocks.
> 
> Minerals with thallium are always highly toxic and should not 
> even be touched; use very good safety precautions at all times.
> 
> Mist from lapidary can be more dangerous than dust. Take 
> reasonable precautions to not breath it or get it in your eyes.
> 
> Know what minerals and elements are in your specimens. Do a 
> little homework, and then use some common sense. Mount bad 
> specimens in closed boxes; add a "Toxic" label to the outside 
> of any box containing something nasty. 
> 
> Most minerals and rocks are safe to handle. Most rocks and 
> minerals are safe to lapidary with reasonable/minor 
> precautions. When in doubt, err on the side of caution; you 
> want to continue to be able to collect and work with rocks 
> and minerals.
> 
> Kreigh
> 
> 
> Joshua Stiff wrote:
> > 
> > Hi everyone,
> > 
> > I realized in the last couple months that I know very 
> little about the 
> > toxicity of minerals.  I've been trying to research the 
> subject a bit 
> > on Google (just out of curiousity), but I've found many of 
> the hits to 
> > be either too vague (dust off this is toxic -- as in 
> smoking is toxic, 
> > or like this is drinking arsenic?), or too specific for a normal 
> > individual.  I was wondering if anyone could put the subject into 
> > lay-terms as pertaining to collecting, cleaning, and cutting 
> > specimens?
> > 
> > I will put forth my common-sense findings and questions here 
> > (sometimes the obvious isn't obvious to everyone).
> > 
> > (1) The dust off many minerals should be avoided.  Just like the 
> > dust/mist of most pesticides and cleaning agents should be avoided.
> > In terms of minerals, I am assuming this means more the fine-grain 
> > dust sent into the air by cutting the material (like when 
> trimming-up 
> > an azurite specimen)?  My basic precautions when cutting/breaking 
> > material are that of shop-class, or when spreading 
> weed-be-gone around 
> > the yard: I wear safety goggles (chemistry safety goggles), a 
> > breathing mask, gloves in an appropriate form, and comfortable but 
> > tight-fitting clothing that covers the torso, arms, legs, and feet.
> > Yay, I'm a safety poster!  Anything more than common-sense 
> one should 
> > worry about here?
> > 
> > (2) Are there common (I know this is a relative term) minerals that 
> > one should worry about just sitting on a shelf?
> > 
> > (3) Do not stick things in your mouth!
> > 
> > (4) My cleaning method for most mineral specimens (although I do 
> > research alternative methods when I encounter something 
> new) is Tide 
> > and a toothbrush.  Any minerals react negatively to the body (e.g.
> > release a toxic gas) when exposed to soap (Tide, Dawn, etc.)?
> > 
> > (5) Any minerals that react toxically when exposed to polishing 
> > compounds (type that one would place in a tumbler)?
> > 
> > (6) Any tell-tale signs you are around something very toxic 
> the field?
> >  More than the obvious (I've wandered around in old dredge and leech
> > areas) I am thinking some like, "if you are out collecting 
> > such-and-such, it also commonly occurs with this-and-that.  And 
> > this-and-that can be really bad for you."
> > 
> > I am thinking for the most part that mineral specimens and their 
> > associated matrix should be safe to handle (as long as your not 
> > playing around with something extremely radioactive).  I also 
> > understand that even if something is labelled "toxic" it is 
> probably 
> > safe to handle in low doses.  Overall, just curious for all the 
> > chemists out there if there are any big gotchas.
> > 
> > Thanks everyone!
> > --
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