{"id":19364,"date":"2023-11-06T03:00:20","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T11:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/?p=19364"},"modified":"2023-11-06T07:19:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T15:19:10","slug":"what-are-radioactive-minerals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/what-are-radioactive-minerals\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Radioactive Minerals?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Radioactive minerals like uraninite, carnotite<\/a>, autunite, and torbernite often have interesting structures and varying degrees of fluorescence. They can be interesting specimens in a rockhound’s rock collection<\/a>. Fortunately, with the appropriate equipment and safety protocols<\/a>, it is possible to keep those radioactive rocks while keeping yourself out of harm\u2019s way.<\/p>\n

Identifying the Risks of Radioactive Minerals<\/h2>\n
\"radioactive-minerals\"<\/a>
Pin this post to save this information for later.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Understanding which parts of your collection may pose a risk is the first step. You might have just a few individual, radioactive mineral specimens. But some large rocks may also contain an amalgamation of multiple types of potentially radioactive minerals. In addition to these radioactive minerals, there are also daughter products that are created as the result of radioactive decay. Daughter products, such as radium, radon gas and uranium, are themselves radioactive.<\/p>\n

According to Alysson Rowan, author of Here Be Dragons<\/em> or The Care and Feeding of Radioactive Mineral Species<\/em>, some radioactive minerals may even be hiding in plain sight. \u201cA specimen that doesn\u2019t look very good because it\u2019s not well crystalized \u2014 somebody may cut that into a decorative stone and mount it for wearing,\u201d Rowan says. \u201cYou can find these things on sale, and there\u2019s no mention of the fact that it is radioactive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Based in Holsworthy, England, Rowan is also a former radiation safety worker with extensive training in geology. She continues, \u201cThere\u2019s no mention that this is not something that you would want to wear, so, people buy these things and wear them in ignorance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"radioactive-minerals\"
Radiation detector
Getty Images \/ Scott Peterson \/ Contributor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Detection Equipment<\/h2>\n

Because uranium minerals tend to be very colorful, they\u2019re among the most popular with collectors. \u201cThe other thing is that there are a lot of them that are fluorescent,\u201d Rowan says. \u201cWith uranium minerals, you tend to get greens and yellows, but there are minerals that glow blue, and red, and I think there\u2019s even one that\u2019s now known to fluoresce purple.\u201d<\/p>\n

Incidentally, to test the radioactivity of your stash, you\u2019ll want to purchase a handheld radiation detector. \u201cIf they\u2019re going somewhere to collect uranium minerals or they expect to find uranium minerals, a handheld \u2018Geiger counter\u2019 is a must-have,\u201d Rowan suggests. \u201cOf course, they\u2019re not all Geiger counters now. . . . A lot of them are scintillators which are a lot more sensitive and a lot more durable. They generally show how much radiation they\u2019re detecting either on a meter or on an alphanumeric display.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can also find used Geiger counters for sale online. \u201cA lot of people buy them second-hand on eBay,\u201d she says. \u201cThe American Civil Defense monitors are very, very popular because there\u2019s a lot of them about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sal\u00e9eite and autunite are two colorful \u2014 and radioactive \u2014 minerals. \u201cIn bright sunlight, you can see the fluorescence,\u201d Rowan notes. Both are in the bright yellow-green range.<\/p>\n

Just don\u2019t get too attached to that autunite, as it will literally disintegrate. \u201cAutunite is what\u2019s known as a metamict,\u201d Rowan explains. \u201cIt decays radioactively, and the radiation damages the crystal. Inside a few years, it\u2019s just a pile of dust. . . . And, so, autunite will actually spread all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"radioactive-minerals\"
(Meta)autunite likely interleaved with (meta) torbernite. Specimen fluoresces distinctly under long-wave UV light. From Foggintor Quarry in Dartmoor\u2014Devon, United Kingdom.
Photo courtesy of Alysson Rowan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Radiation Effects<\/h2>\n

Containing that radioactive spread is paramount because the negative effects of radiation on the body are cumulative. In other words? The radiation you absorb builds up over time. You can inadvertently expose yourself to radiation internally by absorbing contaminants through your skin. You can also inhale or ingest radioactive contaminants.<\/p>\n

The acute effects of radiation exposure can range from erythema \u2014 akin to a deep tissue sunburn \u2014 to renal failure. \u201cThe uranyl minerals\u2014that is uranium oxide as a radical\u2014are toxic to your kidneys,\u201d Rowan says. \u201cSo, that is what you\u2019ve got when you pick up most fluorescent minerals. It\u2019s uranyl phosphates, uranyl nitrates\u2014they are highly toxic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the long term, exposure to some radioactive compounds can even result in bone cancer and leukemia. In her book, Rowan writes, \u201cInhaled uranous and thorium compounds, and to a lesser extent the uranyl compounds will result in both toxic and radiation damage to the lung. Long-term effects will include bronchitic and emphysema-like symptoms as well as a range of pulmonary and pleural cancers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"radioactive-minerals\"
Medium-sized uranium-vanadium nodules in situ are typical of the material found throughout the lower levels of the Budleigh Salterton beds in Devon, United Kingdom. Invariably radioactive, these nodules develop growths of various minerals, including copper, cobalt, vanadium and uranium species. Photo courtesy of Alysson Rowan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Smoke Alarm<\/h2>\n

Keeping cigarettes, incense, and other smoky stuff away from radioactive specimens is especially important.<\/p>\n

For safety\u2019s sake, you should never eat or drink while handling radioactive minerals. Applying a quick smidge of lip balm\u2019s another no-no. And smoking is right out, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing about smoking is one thing that you do is that you handle the rock and you put your cigarette to your mouth and you\u2019ve immediately got rock dust on your lips,\u201d says Alysson Rowan, the author of Here Be Dragons or The Care and Feeding of Radioactive Mineral Species.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, let\u2019s say some of your specimens contain uranium. As uranium goes through its multiple stages of decay, it eventually releases radioactive radon daughter products and radon gas. \u201cThe airborne activity from radon daughters and radon gas itself will attach themselves to smoke,\u201d Rowan continues. \u201cSo, when you re-inhale smoke, you\u2019re inhaling the radioactive contaminants in the atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n

In her work, Rowan writes, \u201cIt has been noted that the presence of blue smoke from cigarettes (the plume that rises from the burning tobacco) collects the radioactive radon daughter products more surely than any other means of concentration. This means that the spent smoke you breathe in a high radon concentration area is bringing those radioactive materials into your lungs in a form which tends to remain inside your body.\u201d Such radiation exposure in the human body is cumulative. Rather than dissipate, the radiation exposure adds up. \u201cThe consensus of scientific opinion is that a given dose from radon is possibly 10 or 15 times as dangerous to a smoker as to a nonsmoker,\u201d Rowan notes. To mitigate this risk, never smoke in areas where you keep radioactive specimens.<\/p>\n

Minimizing Exposure<\/h2>\n

Although different minerals pose differing degrees of risk, if you are pregnant, you should avoid contact with radioactive minerals altogether. As for young children? \u201cBefore puberty, we are a lot more susceptible to radiation damage because of the rapid cell division,\u201d Rowan says. \u201cChildren should not be around. . . radioactive minerals more than absolutely necessary for their study.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are several precautions you can take to minimize your overall radiation exposure and still appreciate the radioactive specimens in your collection. Besides the degree to which a mineral is radioactive, the amount of the mineral in question matters as well as the cumulative amount of time that you spend in direct contact with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you sit with a pound of uraninite using it as a paperweight on your desk, that is going to give you a problem eventually,\u201d Rowan maintains. \u201cIf, on the other hand, you have that pound of uraninite and it\u2019s in a lead-acrylic case, that reduces the dose rate and, therefore, it\u2019s not quite the same problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"radioactive-minerals\"
Yellow zippeite on pale quartz and massive arsenopyrite with traces of green torbernite-zeunerite series mineral. From South Terras Mine in Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Photo courtesy of Alysson Rowan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Display Do’s and Don’ts<\/h2>\n

\u201cYou also have to take into account how far you are from that specimen,\u201d Rowan adds.<\/p>\n

When you increase the distance between yourself and the specimen, you decrease your potential radiation dose. Adding shielding materials like lead, wood or glass can further reduce your radiation exposure.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the most part, you put [your collection] on display in a cabinet,\u201d she says. \u201cThe idea is that you\u2019re keeping dust off of your specimens, but you\u2019re keeping dust from the specimens fixed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regarding those uranium-rich minerals, keep in mind that uranium decays into radium which, in turn, will decay into radon gas. Because this heavy, radioactive gas can easily migrate, you should air out your uranium mineral display cases periodically. \u201cI\u2019ve done this with my own cabinet,\u201d Rowan says. \u201cYou open the cabinet and stick your [radiation] meter in and the radiation count goes up. And, over about half an hour, the count rate goes right down, because the radon daughters in there only have a short half-life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, she cautions, \u201cIf you\u2019re a serious uranium collector, then it\u2019s probably a good idea to have vented cabinets\u2014venting to the outside world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also, never store or display uranium minerals in a basement. \u201cRadon gas is an awful lot denser than air,\u201d Rowan explains. \u201cIt\u2019s a big atom and it will hang around for a couple of weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Handling How-To’s<\/h2>\n

If you do need to handle a radioactive mineral specimen, don\u2019t dally. \u201cIf you\u2019re working with it for too long, that\u2019s all additional exposure,\u201d Rowan says. \u201cSo, the amount of time that you\u2019re in contact with the rock, you need to minimize it. And you need to make sure that you don\u2019t spread contamination everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

To that end, she suggests wearing protective clothing and disposable gloves and protecting your work surface with a disposable covering. Washing carefully with soap and water is also key. \u201cIf you handle a radioactive rock, you\u2019ve got radioactive rock dust on your fingers and you\u2019ve got to wash it off,\u201d Rowan says.<\/p>\n

Finally, to prevent ingestion or inhalation of radioactive contaminants, never eat, drink or smoke when working with radioactive minerals, and, Rowan concludes, \u201cDon\u2019t be paranoid, but do take care.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story about radioactive minerals appeared\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span>Rock & Gem<\/em>\u00a0magazine.\u00a0Click here to subscribe.<\/a>\u00a0Story\u00a0<\/span>by Susan M. Brackney<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Radioactive minerals like uraninite, carnotite, autunite, and torbernite often have interesting structures and varying degrees of fluorescence. They can be interesting specimens in a rockhound’s rock collection. Fortunately, with the appropriate equipment and safety protocols, it is possible to keep those radioactive rocks while keeping yourself out of harm\u2019s way. Identifying the Risks of Radioactive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2974217,"featured_media":22838,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,2070,2066,1856,186],"tags":[2278,155,2276,627,2277],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19364"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2974217"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19364"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22841,"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19364\/revisions\/22841"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rockngem.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}