[meteorite-list] Re: Toxic Minerals
From: Fredmeteorhall_at_aol.com <Fredmeteorhall_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:58 2004 Message-ID: <1cf.174a072f.2d2b87ab_at_aol.com> --part1_1cf.174a072f.2d2b87ab_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fellow Meteorite Collectors, Before ingesting, or DRY polishing meteorites, fossils or minerals, keep this in mind: Mineral samples can be as dangerous as any chemical found in the chemistry laboratory. It only takes 0.3 grams of the mineral orpiment (Arsenic sulfide, can be found in Nevada, USA) to kill a 150 pound person. Around the same amount of arsenopyrite will be fatal. Realgar (another Arsenic sulfide) is similarly dangerous. Greenocite (cadmium sulfide) is very toxic if ingested, and inhalations can be as dangerous as ingestion. Poison fumes can be released by HEATING and by blowpipe lab testing. Minerals of antimony, nickel, barium, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium and zinc are to be treated with care. Licking or tasting minerals in the field is as risky as tasting mushrooms in the field to see if they are poisonous. These include antimony, arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, cobalt, iron, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium and zinc. Harmful effects are most likely if the mineral is soluble in water or stomach acid. Acute symptoms include dryness and burning of the nasal cavities, gastroenteritis, delirium (note Dave Freeman!) coma and death. The borax minerals, colemanite, kernite and sodium borate (borax) are assumed by many to be safe since they are used in laundry products. These cause several deaths a year (In the USA or worldwide? Article did not state.) as the borax is absorbed through cuts or through the skin. Three grams in the body of a child is sufficient to kill. (So don't try using a borax laundry soap for the kids bubble bath, unless you're tired of the little boogers!) Iron, especially ferrous sulfate (melamterite) can result in death from as little as 0.4 grams. (By the way guys, don't take your wife's "Made for Women Vitamins and Minerals" as men don't require near as much iron as women, and the extra iron in the daily vitamin has been known to cause health problems for men.) This is not a complete list, watch out when working with unknown minerals. Have A Safe and Happy New Year, Fred Hall, member of the Colorado Meteorite Society (COMETS) and the Colorado Mineral Society. --part1_1cf.174a072f.2d2b87ab_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=3D3 PTSIZE=3D12 FAMILY= =3D"SERIF" FACE=3D"Georgia" LANG=3D"0">Fellow Meteorite Collectors,<BR> Before ingesting, or DRY polishing meteorites, foss= ils or minerals, keep this in mind: <BR> Mineral samples can be as dangerous as any chemical= found in the chemistry laboratory. It only takes 0.3 grams of the mineral o= rpiment (Arsenic sulfide, can be found in Nevada, USA) to kill a 150 pound p= erson. Around the same amount of arsenopyrite will be fatal. Realgar (= another Arsenic sulfide) is similarly dangerous. Greenocite (cadmium s= ulfide) is very toxic if ingested, and inhalations can be as dangerous as in= gestion.<BR> Poison fumes can be released by HEATING and by blow= pipe lab testing. Minerals of antimony, nickel, barium, cadmium, lead, mercu= ry, selenium and zinc are to be treated with care.<BR> Licking or tasting minerals in the field is as risk= y as tasting mushrooms in the field to see if they are poisonous. These incl= ude antimony, arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, cobalt, iron, lead, mercury,=20= nickel, selenium and zinc. Harmful effects are most likely if the mineral is= soluble in water or stomach acid. Acute symptoms include dryness and burnin= g of the nasal cavities, gastroenteritis, delirium (note Dave Freeman!) coma= and death.<BR> The borax minerals, colemanite, kernite and sodium=20= borate (borax) are assumed by many to be safe since they are used in laundry= products. These cause several deaths a year (In the USA or worldwide? Artic= le did not state.) as the borax is absorbed through cuts or through the skin= . Three grams in the body of a child is sufficient to kill. (So don't try us= ing a borax laundry soap for the kids bubble bath, unless you're tired of th= e little boogers!)<BR> Iron, especially ferrous sulfate (melamterite) can=20= result in death from as little as 0.4 grams. (By the way guys, don't take yo= ur wife's "Made for Women Vitamins and Minerals" as men don't require near a= s much iron as women, and the extra iron in the daily vitamin has been known= to cause health problems for men.)<BR> This is not a complete list, watch out when working= with unknown minerals.<BR> Have A Safe and Happy New Year, Fred Hall, member of the Colorado Meteorite=20= Society (COMETS) and the Colorado Mineral Society.<BR> </FONT></HTML> --part1_1cf.174a072f.2d2b87ab_boundary-- Received on Mon 05 Jan 2004 10:38:19 PM PST |
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