FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[chris]

Hi,

During the week the French forum of mineralogy (Geoforum) got an enquiry from a middle school teacher. 2 of his students brought him a specimen they had found in a dump not very far from a place where a mineral fair had taken place. The specimen had red blood crystals giving a yellow strike when handled.

As several others I warned him it might be realgar. After posting pictures of the specimen it has been obvious it wasn't realgar. One of the poster suggested artificial crystals of sodium bichromate (K2Cr2O7 from memory) and advised him to do some basic tests to check. Eventually it turned up to be sodium bichromate, a toxic laboratory reagent.

Fortunately the teacher had told them to avoid handling it and wash hands after doing so. But I remain puzzled to know that people still sale such things and worst dump them in the nature, with the risk of kids finding them.

I would like to know if you can find such crystals in mineral shows in your own countries and what you think about this story.

Christophe

[str4hler]

Munchen last october...
should be prohibited on mineral fairs...
there are some mineral fairs not allowing this stuff anymore, good...
Cheers!