[meteorite-list] Re: Toxic Minerals

From: David Freeman <dfreeman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:58 2004
Message-ID: <3FFA304C.7070302_at_fascination.com>

Dear List members;
I know from first hand account that even wet polishing malachite with
bare hands for a couple of hours will make one very ill.
Many toxic substances will enter the body through the unprotected skin.
 Absorption route of entry. Beware of all routes of entry, including
dust that sits around the shop for a few weeks or months which still has
the active toxins in it.
Best,
Dave F.

Fredmeteorhall_at_aol.com wrote:

> 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.
Received on Mon 05 Jan 2004 10:49:32 PM PST