Which stones are dangerous to health?

Radioactive minerals are not uncommon – the most common and dangerous, in my opinion, is the mineral charoite – a beautiful semi-precious stone, often inlaid into rings, necklaces and earrings. And although charoite itself is not radioactive, it often contains inclusions of radioactive thorium-232 (usually black inclusions). Despite the fact that the radioactive background from these minerals is not much higher than that listed above, wearing such jewelry significantly increases the dose load on a person. Radioactive Granite – Most granite is phonite due to its high content of natural uranium and thorium. There are GOSTs that do not allow the use of many types of granite in the construction of residential buildings, but they are often not observed and radioactive granite kitchen sinks, stoves, tables and window sills irradiate their owners for years. Collections of minerals can pose a great danger, because it is no secret that at any mineral exhibition you can easily buy radioactive minerals (of which there are hundreds of varieties), some of them are quite dangerous in the wrong hands. For example, some uranium-containing minerals can be quite radioactive and actively release radon gas. Radioactive minerals and jewelry Radioactivity can occur not only in minerals from which nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants is made. Sometimes a source of ionizing radiation can even be a completely harmless mineral or semi-precious stone, which is not uranium ore and from which a vase, box or ashtray, standing somewhere on a cabinet, or it could be a stone in jewelry, may be made. Let’s find out what is the reason for this. Some natural minerals are beautiful and have a unique play of patterns and colors. One such mineral is charoite. This ornamental stone of various shades of purple is quite widely used in stone cutting. One of the features of charoite is that this mineral can be radioactive due to the presence in its mass of inclusions of minerals containing thorium and uranium. Depending on the place of extraction and chemical composition, its radioactivity can vary from normal background values, when the mineral does not contain dangerous inclusions, to samples in which the radiation power exceeds the natural background several times. An indirect sign that a charoite product may be radioactive is the presence of dark and even black inclusions in the mass of the mineral. Natural granite tiles and even stones in jewelry can have an increased background radiation. In this case, there is the fact of radiation refining of precious stones. Sometimes, in order to change or enhance the color of a gemstone, it is irradiated with various types of radioactive radiation using powerful accelerators or even nuclear reactors. Thus, it is possible to make a completely worthy sample from a low-grade mineral. But the fact is that after such a procedure, the mineral may remain slightly radioactive due to the presence in its composition of radioactive isotopes formed after its irradiation. The danger of such jewelry is that they are in close proximity to the owner. Whether it is a ring or a pendant with a radiation-treated stone, it irradiates the body day after day and the dose received from such a “gift” over a long period of time can be significant. Unfortunately, as a result of evolution, man did not acquire an organ that would warn us about radiation danger, but this unfortunate omission can be made up for. To do this, you do not need to develop extrasensory senses, but it is enough to have a dosimeter – a device for detecting and measuring radioactive radiation. The device will allow you to detect radiation hazards in time and protect you from unpleasant and sometimes dangerous surprises in the form of jewelry made from radiation-enhanced minerals and other sources of ionizing radiation, some of which can even be kitchen utensils or products made from so-called uranium glass. Such “dangerous utensils” will be discussed in the next section of our catalog. These stones can cause serious harm to health even if they are simply beautiful on a shelf as an interior decoration or a sample from a collection. So, from least dangerous to most dangerous.

• 10. Chalcanthite – ancient Greek. – copper and other Greek. – flower.

The seductive blue chalcanthite crystals are composed of copper, combined with sulfur and other elements, as well as water. This formulation transforms copper, which is essential for the body but which becomes toxic in excess quantities, into a highly bio-available crystal. In other words, copper becomes water soluble and can be absorbed in large quantities by any plant or animal, quickly weakening it and then killing it as important internal organs stop working.

Scientific amateurs should never test chalcanthite for salt content because they may suffer an extremely serious overdose of copper. Simply mining a crystal of this blue mineral killed all the algae in the entire pond, and these crystals are also capable of creating major environmental problems. Due to the incredible beauty and rarity of chalcanthite, a business has emerged within the geological community to grow artificial crystals for sale that are advertised as genuine specimens.

• 9. Coloradoite – named after the piece. Colorado, USA

Coloradoite is a newly discovered crystalline mineral typically found in magma veins. This mineral is a mercuric telluride compound formed when mercury is alloyed with tellurium, another extremely toxic and rare metal. Therefore, Coloradoite poses a double toxic threat to those who dare to pick it up. The combination of these two elements creates a risk of serious poisoning if handled carelessly. When heated or chemically changed, this strange mineral releases deadly vapor and dust.

What’s most interesting is that this mineral is mined to obtain the tellurium it contains. Tellurium minerals can also be found in combination with gold, but such combinations were not previously known. In a strange twist of fate, Coloradoite deposits were mined in Australia during an unusual gold rush after people realized that tellurium stones containing gold were filling potholes in the roads.

• 8. Hutchinsonite – named after Hutchinson.

Thallium is lead’s darker counterpart. This dense, fatty metal is similar in atomic mass to lead, but is even more deadly. Thallium is a rare metal that appears in highly toxic compounds consisting of rather strange combinations of elements. The effects of thallium exposure are even stranger, and include hair loss, serious illness upon skin contact, and in many cases death.

Hutchinsonite is a dangerous but striking mixture of thallium, lead and arsenic. Three toxic metals form a deadly cocktail of minerals that must be handled with great care. Hutchinsonite was named after John Hutchinson, a famous mineralogist at the University of Cambridge. This mineral can be found in mountainous areas of Europe, most often in ore deposits.

• 7. Galena (Galena) – (from Latin galena – lead ore)

Galena is the main ore used for lead mining. It consists of shiny silver cubes of unnaturally perfect shape. Although lead is generally very flexible, galena’s sulfur content makes it extremely brittle and susceptible to chemical treatment. Galena can cause serious consequences for workers and amateur researchers who work with it without following safety precautions.

Handling samples may result in inhalation of dust. Workers in mines are at high risk of poisoning from contact with minerals and deadly dust generated during production. Once mined, lead from this mineral poses an environmental threat to human health during processing and purification. Galena has a cubic fracture process, and if you hit it with a hammer, the crystal will break into several smaller copies of its original shape.

6. Asbestos – (Greek – indestructible)
Chrysotile and Amphibolite

Asbestos is not a man-made product, but it is one of the most dangerous minerals on the planet. While other minerals act as toxins due to their chemical composition and accidentally poison victims, asbestos carries out full mechanical sabotage in the human lungs. Asbestos is a completely natural mineral and is composed of silica, the most abundant solid mineral on Earth, iron, sodium and oxygen.

Asbestos deposits are made up of clusters of thousands of tiny, thread-like crystals that can become airborne. They can also easily enter a person’s lungs. Carcinogenic effects occur due to constant irritation of the lung tissue, which leads to the formation of scars. Asbestos formations can be found among any set of siliceous rocks, therefore, during the study of such rocks, appropriate safety rules must be followed. Oddly enough, natural weathering leads to the spread of natural asbestos into the Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, small amounts of asbestos fibers can be found in the lungs of many people.

• 5. Arsenopyrite – (from the Latin arsenicum – arsenic)

Arsenopyrite is fool’s gold, but with a slight difference. A person who confuses it with gold will be more than just a fool. An equally stupid decision would be to pick up this mineral from the ground during a hike through the quarry, and then continue to use the hands that held this mineral to prepare and consume food. Arsenopyrite is an iron-arsenic sulfide that is the same type of mineral as pyrite (fool’s gold or iron sulfide), the difference being that it has heavy additions of arsenic.

When you try to heat or alter the mineral in any way, it begins to emit a strong garlicky odor of arsenic, which comes from the deadly toxic, corrosive and carcinogenic fumes released by this mineral. Even processing this mineral puts a person in contact with unstable sulfur salts of arsenic. Interestingly, arsenopyrite can be identified by simply hitting it with a hammer. Once the sparks fly, you will be able to smell a strong garlicky odor for a brief moment.

• 4. Torbernite – named after the Swedish chemist and mineralogist Torbern Bergman

Torburnite is a mineral from hell. Green prism-shaped crystals form as secondary deposits in granite rocks and are composed of uranium. Formed through a complex reaction between phosphorus, copper, water and uranium, the stunning clusters of crystals often lured collectors with their appearance, so people took samples of these minerals for their collections displayed on shelves.

If the decay of uranium at Chernobyl wasn’t enough, the deadly gas radon, capable of causing lung cancer, is slowly leaking out of these beautiful rocks. This is exactly the kind of crystal that should be left alone. Torbernite can also be found in granite, so your granite countertop could easily contain traces of torbernite. The bright green clusters of crystals are used by prospectors as indicators of uranium deposits.

Stibnite is an antimony sulfide, but it looks like silver. For this reason, huge, shiny metallic crystals of this unstable compound were once used to cast magnificent glassware. However, the sword-shaped crystals brought death to all those who used them. Antimony-laced stibnite crystals killed many people before it became known that the mineral caused one of the world’s worst food poisonings.

Even if stibnite samples are collected for collection, they must be handled with great care to avoid poisoning. It is recommended to wash your hands after any contact with this mineral. The mines near Osaka, Japan produce the best stibnite crystals in the world, measuring up to 30 centimeters in length. Most stibnite specimens look like miniature spiers.

• 2. Orpiment – ​​(from Latin aurum – gold, gold paint)

The only thing worse than arsenic itself is a stone consisting of arsenic and sulfur. Lethal and reactive orpiment crystals grow underground as mineral formations, often near hydrothermal vents. The colors of orpiment look quite enticing, but if you hold its crystals in your hands, it can release carcinogenic, neurotoxic arsenic powder.

The Chinese widely used this mineral, just like cinnabar, but only with much more dire consequences. Arrows were dropped into crushed samples of this stone, which were then used against enemies for the purpose of poisoning – a rather skillful way of throwing a stone. Orpiment is famous for giving off a strong garlic smell due to its arsenic content. It can also crumble into a dangerous powder when exposed to light. This mineral was used as a major ingredient in ocher paint, and likely poisoned many of the artists who used it.

• 1. Cinnabar – (Greek kinnabari)

Cinnabar (mercury sulfide) is the most toxic mineral to process that exists on Earth. The name of the crystal means “dragon’s blood.” It is from cinnabar ore that mercury is extracted. Bright red crystals formed near volcanoes and sulfur deposits signal the worst danger. Cinnabar can release pure mercury when processed or heated, causing convulsions, loss of sensation, and death.

During the Middle Ages and late 1700s, being sent to work in Spanish mines containing cinnabar formations was considered practically a death sentence. Cinnabar was widely used in Chinese history to make decorative dishes for food, and pieces of it were also used to create intricately shaped carvings, sometimes at the cost of the lives of artisans. What’s even more incredible is that some of the ancient doctors believed that cinnabar contained healing properties and prescribed it to treat certain diseases.

These are the horrors of Saturday 🙂