[Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
Axel Emmermann
axel.emmermann at pandora.be
Sat Aug 11 01:33:45 PDT 2007
I know someone who has been diagnosed with radiation disease as a result of
life-long collecting of uranium minerals.
The guy was REALLY spooked when the doctor explained the odds to him.
People who have light symptoms of poisoning usually don't link it to their
hobby. Doctors don't even look there is you don't point them in the right
direction (same as with aspartame and other artificial sweeteners)
I would dare to say that there may be hundreds of people out there with mild
symptoms of lead, copper, you name it, poisoning.
Axel
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
> [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com] Namens Rock Currier
> Verzonden: zaterdag 11 augustus 2007 3:24
> Aan: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
> Onderwerp: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
>
> In my 45 years of fooling around with minerals I have never
> heard of a collector, curator or mineral dealer that has
> suffered any toxic effects from the minerals they have
> handled, and some dealers and collectors are exposed to a lot
> of mineralized dust in mines and in the trimming and
> processing of minerals. The big worries for mineral
> collectors and dealers is that they can and do occasionally
> kill or injure themselves in crawling around in mines and
> mineral localities and have rocks fall on them or hurt
> themselves when trying to break big ones into small ones.
> These injuries are thousands of times more likely to harm you
> than the toxic effect of minerals. Miners and mineral
> industry workers sometimes do over a lifetime of exposure
> sometimes suffer the toxic effects of minerals (cinnabar
> miners, asbestos workers, and those that breathe silica dust
> for long periods.) Collectors don't need to worry about that
> kind of exposure. You should be more worried about eating
> French fries and not getting enough exercise than about
> handling your specimens and living with them under your bed
> probably even the radio active ones if the real truth could
> be measured and known.
> Rock Currier
> rockcurrier at CS.com
> Jewel Tunnel Imports
> 13100 Spring St.
> Baldwin Park, CA 91706
> 626-814-2257
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <rockhounds-request at lists.drizzle.com>
> To: <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 18:02
> Subject: Rockhounds Digest, Vol 39, Issue 10
>
>
> Send Rockhounds mailing list submissions to
> rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> rockhounds-request at lists.drizzle.com
>
> You can reach the person managing the list at
> rockhounds-owner at lists.drizzle.com
>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Rockhounds digest..."
>
>
> [Rockhounds-Digest]
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. RE: Inquiry homemade(mini) blast furnace (Mohsin Khan)
> 2. Toxic Minerals and Common Sense (Joshua Stiff)
> 3. Re: Toxic Minerals and Common Sense (J Bryan Kramer)
> 4. Re: Toxic Minerals and Common Sense (Julie Siebel)
> 5. RE: Toxic Minerals and Common Sense (Axel Emmermann)
> 6. Re: Toxic Minerals and Common Sense (J Bryan Kramer)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:10:54 +0500
> From: Mohsin Khan <mohsinghauri at hotmail.com>
> Subject: RE: [Rockhounds] Inquiry homemade(mini) blast furnace
> To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> collectors" <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Message-ID: <BAY112-W4B6757340456AA2171860D1E10 at phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
> Both Manganese and Chromite require very high temperature Approx. 3000
> degree Celsius, for the reduction of these ores you shall require an
> electric arc furnace instead of a blast furnace.
>
> Best regards,
> Mohsin
> > Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 21:50:50 -0700> From:
> ashkanelegant at yahoo.com> To:
> rhladmin at drizzle.com> CC: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com;
> ki3u at hotmail.com;
> mailman-owner at bubbleator.drizzle.com> Subject: [Rockhounds] Inquiry
> homemade(mini) blast furnace > > dear sir> I need to install
> small size of
> blast furnace to> reduction manganese or chromite
> ore.capacity(200Kg)> Can
> you help me to find best way?> Reduction of Manganese or
> chromite ore with
> coke.> this is my MSc project> Best regards> Ash> > > > >
> ______________________________________________________________
> ______________
> ________Ready for the edge of your seat? > Check out
> tonight's top picks on
> Yahoo! TV. > http://tv.yahoo.com/> -- >
> _______________________________________________>
> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing
> List> Subscription Services:>
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds> List
> Home Page, with a
> link to the List Usage Policy:>
> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
> _________________________________________________________________
> Play free games, earn tickets, get cool prizes! Join Live Search Club.
> http://club.live.com/home.aspx?icid=CLUB_wlmailtextlink
>
> --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> multipart/alternative
> text/plain (text body -- kept)
> text/html
> ---
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:55:42 -0600
> From: "Joshua Stiff" <jcstiff at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
> To: rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com
> Message-ID:
> <48aa46800708101355p24a97046s9e09119fc135c2fa at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> 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!
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:02:12 -0400
> From: "J Bryan Kramer" <codeburner at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
> To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> collectors" <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Message-ID:
> <e8cacd9a0708101402x6a1988b7g8dc6bab214d716ea at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Well it's pretty much common sense, some arsenic and mercury compounds
> are poisons for example. But sitting on a shelf they are not going to
> jump out and get you. Just wash your hands after handling them and
> probably any heavy metal minerals. And don't stick any of them in your
> mouth.
>
> BK
>
> On 8/10/07, Joshua Stiff <jcstiff at gmail.com> 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!
> > --
> > _______________________________________________
> > Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> > Subscription Services:
> > http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> > List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> > http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
> >
>
>
> --
> J Bryan Kramer
> North Florida, USA
> photos at:
> http://pbase.com/photoburner
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:11:37 -0700
> From: "Julie Siebel" <julie at pandemoniumgraphics.com>
> Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
> To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> collectors" <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Message-ID: <00c601c7db93$1280e0e0$0300a8c0 at warren>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Years ago (before I even belonged to the list, let alone was
> list-owner)
> John made a post about an old cinnabar mine we were taking a
> day trip to,
> and whether it was safe to take our dogs.
>
> John's sense of humor being kinda...different, he called the
> post "Licking
> Cinnabar". He received a couple of very nice, well-meant
> replies from list
> members on the dangers of "licking cinnabar"!
>
> Julie
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "J Bryan Kramer" <codeburner at gmail.com>
> To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> collectors"
> <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 2:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
>
>
> > Well it's pretty much common sense, some arsenic and
> mercury compounds
> > are poisons for example. But sitting on a shelf they are
> not going to
> > jump out and get you. Just wash your hands after handling them and
> > probably any heavy metal minerals. And don't stick any of
> them in your
> > mouth.
> >
> > BK
> >
> > On 8/10/07, Joshua Stiff <jcstiff at gmail.com> 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!
> >> --
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> >> Subscription Services:
> >> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> >> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> >> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > J Bryan Kramer
> > North Florida, USA
> > photos at:
> > http://pbase.com/photoburner
> > --
> > _______________________________________________
> > Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> > Subscription Services:
> > http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> > List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> > http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:38:10 +0200
> From: "Axel Emmermann" <axel.emmermann at pandora.be>
> Subject: RE: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
> To: "'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> collectors'" <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Message-ID: <004501c7db9f$218cb120$6401a8c0 at AxelHP>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Licking cinnabar likely is much less dangerous than heating
> it. I wouldn't
> make a habit of it though.
>
> Mercury sulfide has a very low solubility in water but even a
> little heat
> can dissociate the mineral in it's components. In the book
> <http://www.amazon.com/Ultraviolet-guide-minerals-ultraviolet-
> identification
> /dp/B0006Y44MU/ref=sr_1_2/002-4364605-1319247?ie=UTF8&s=books&
> qid=1186784838
> &sr=1-2> Ultraviolet guide to minerals: A complete working
> manual for the
> use of ultraviolet light in locating and recognizing
> minerals, including
> field identification charts by Sterling Gleason there is a
> detection method
> for Hg that uses heat of a Bunsen burner to evaporate
> mercury. The idea
> behind it is that the vapor blocks SW UV. Placing the flame
> and specimen
> between a UV-source and a willemite screen, the Hg-vapor
> would cast dark
> shadows on the fluorescent screen. Don't try this at home folks.
> Minamata-disease is no laughing matter.
>
>
> There is however a number of minerals that ARE dangerous to
> the licking
> kind: all minerals that contain beryllium.
> Beryllium is highly carcinogenic. Even in extremely low doses
> like in the
> so-called 'infinitesimal solutions'.
>
> I would also avoid licking thallium minerals or any primary uranium,
> thorium, gallium..... minerals. Also sawing dust of those is
> very toxic.
>
> Still, aluminum MAY look harmless but continuous exposure to
> low doses may
> cause dementia if I remember correctly. So alum is not really
> harmless ;-)))
>
> Cheers
>
> Axel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> multipart/alternative
> text/plain (text body -- kept)
> text/html
> ---
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:54:57 -0400
> From: "J Bryan Kramer" <codeburner at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Toxic Minerals and Common Sense
> To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem
> collectors" <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Message-ID:
> <e8cacd9a0708101654m5cd62c22v41ac7aa75180f4ad at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Well Minimata disease was caused by methyl-mercury which is very
> toxic. Inorganic insoluble mercury is much less so, after all,
> generations of school boys played with mercury drops and there are no
> accounts of piles of dead bodies outside of schools. Hatters are the
> classic occupational disease victims of disease caused by mercury but
> their exposure was long lasting and in high concentrations. They were
> also exposed to boiling solutions of mercuric nitrate, which is a
> soluble mercury compound.
>
> This isn't to say that you should expose yourself to mercury vapor.
>
> By like many things in the modern world, elemental mercury exposure
> hysteria is over hyped.
>
> BK
>
> On 8/10/07, Axel Emmermann <axel.emmermann at pandora.be> wrote:
> > Licking cinnabar likely is much less dangerous than heating
> it. I wouldn't
> > make a habit of it though.
> >
> > Mercury sulfide has a very low solubility in water but even
> a little heat
> > can dissociate the mineral in it's components. In the book
> >
> <http://www.amazon.com/Ultraviolet-guide-minerals-ultraviolet-
> identification
> >
> /dp/B0006Y44MU/ref=sr_1_2/002-4364605-1319247?ie=UTF8&s=books&
> qid=1186784838
> > &sr=1-2> Ultraviolet guide to minerals: A complete working
> manual for the
> > use of ultraviolet light in locating and recognizing
> minerals, including
> > field identification charts by Sterling Gleason there is a detection
> method
> > for Hg that uses heat of a Bunsen burner to evaporate
> mercury. The idea
> > behind it is that the vapor blocks SW UV. Placing the flame
> and specimen
> > between a UV-source and a willemite screen, the Hg-vapor
> would cast dark
> > shadows on the fluorescent screen. Don't try this at home folks.
> > Minamata-disease is no laughing matter.
> >
> >
> > There is however a number of minerals that ARE dangerous to
> the licking
> > kind: all minerals that contain beryllium.
> > Beryllium is highly carcinogenic. Even in extremely low
> doses like in the
> > so-called 'infinitesimal solutions'.
> >
> > I would also avoid licking thallium minerals or any primary uranium,
> > thorium, gallium..... minerals. Also sawing dust of those
> is very toxic.
> >
> > Still, aluminum MAY look harmless but continuous exposure
> to low doses may
> > cause dementia if I remember correctly. So alum is not
> really harmless
> ;-)))
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Axel
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> > multipart/alternative
> > text/plain (text body -- kept)
> > text/html
> > ---
> > --
> > _______________________________________________
> > Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> > Subscription Services:
> > http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> > List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> > http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
> >
>
>
> --
> J Bryan Kramer
> North Florida, USA
> photos at:
> http://pbase.com/photoburner
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> --
> _______________________________________________
> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> Subscription Services:
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
>
> End of Rockhounds Digest, Vol 39, Issue 10
> ******************************************
>
>
> --
> _______________________________________________
> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> Subscription Services:
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html
>
More information about the Rockhounds
mailing list