[meteorite-list] Re: Toxic Minerals

From: John Gwilliam <jkg_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:59 2004
Message-ID: <4.2.0.58.20040106142909.009e96f0_at_mail.theriver.com>

Fred, Dave and List,
Many people think that if they are wet polishing rocks, minerals and
meteorites, they are not susceptible to the dangerous chemicals that may be
found in specimen material.

Not so.

A water cooled lapidary unit for sanding and polishing puts a tremendous
amount of the material you are working on into the air in your working
environment. The finely atomized water carries the residual dust into the
air and can disperse it farther that dry dust can travel. I know several
people who cut and polish rocks and gemstones professionally and they all
use high grade respirators when processing material. As mentioned
previously, chemical can be readily absorbed through the skin with
disastrous results. This includes ethanol, the alcohol used by many
meteorite cutters to remove water from specimens. Use GOOD disposable
gloves plus adequate eye and respiratory protection when you work. By the
time you find out you have a problem, the damage is already done.

Best,

John Gwilliam

At 08:49 PM 1/5/04 -0700, David Freeman wrote:
>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.
>
>
>
>
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Received on Tue 06 Jan 2004 04:40:49 PM PST