FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Pierre Joubert]

Would there be any problems with customs posting Uranophane or any other radio active minerals?

[alfredo]

Use a big box and put the specimen in the centre, to increase distance to the exterior. Radiation levels diminish dramatically over just a small distance.

Do NOT use lead or other heavy shielding... unnecessary weight, and it looks ugly under x-rays... causes more problems than it solves!

[Pierre Joubert]

[kushmeja]

I'm not sure about other countries, but I assume that there would be similar laws. In the US, there's a number of restrictions on radioactive materials being sent via the postal service. One restriction being that you cannot send radioactive material via air mail, but there are some others. Here's a link to the USPS regulations :
https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c3_024.htm
(link normalized by FMF)

[alfredo]

"Radioactive material" as far as the US postal service is concerned, means synthetic isotopes, which can be thousands of times stronger than the hottest mineral in anyone's collection. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has specifically exempted rocks/ores/minerals in their natural condition (unprocessed) from travel restrictions. So you can go ahead and ship it by airmail or any other without breaking the law. The carrier however (USPS, DHL, FedEx, UPS...) can make their own rules and can refuse anything they consider "hot", even if the NRC says it doesn't require regulation. Hence the need for the bigger box.

Pierre's uranophane does not look like it would be particularly strong, but put it in a box and see what you can measure with a geiger counter from the outside. Some helpful numerical values for different species can be seen on https://www.webmineral.com (including even the maximum sizes of each species you can safely send in a 1-meter box)!

[Pierre Joubert]

Thank you Kushmeja and Alfredo. Your information is much appreciated. Has anyone had problems posting similar mineral specimens, Jordi?

[Mark Ost]

Hi Pierre
I think the box that contains a Bentley automobile would suffice assuming it was coated with aluminum foil. Just don't check the hazardous materials box on the FedEx form!!

[Pierre Joubert]

[Jordi Fabre]

[Pierre Joubert]

[Mark Ost]

Very nice specimen though. Shipping can be tricky as we found out when transporting an X Ray fluorescence tester. It had the radiation symbol but only had an X ray tube in it, not a radioactive source. The airlines did not like it too much even after the explanation that it was not radioactive. I suspect that if not marked as such it would pass the vast majority of shipping, as it is obviously not fission material and many minerals have uranium traces.

[alfredo]

Modern detection equipment at borders and ports is so sensitive that they regularly pick up PEOPLE coming back into the USA from medical treatments with isotopes in Canada. And sea containers full of potassium-rich BANANAS. Considering that even ubiquitous potassium is slightly radioactive, it makes no sense to classify things as either "radioactive" and "nonradioactive" - basically we need to consider everything around us as slightly radioactive; it only makes sense to ask what is the numerically acceptable upper limit.

After the Fukushima disaster in Japan, ignorant journalists for a while were making a big deal about how Tokyo city radiation levels were 4x higher than "normal background", and that caused several of my friends there to panic, conveniently forgetting that every big city, all the time, has levels considerably higher than background just because of all the industries, hospitals, etc...

Sorry, none of this ranting helps Pierre with his package ;))

[Pierre Joubert]

Hi Mark. Thank you. Here is a photo of the same specimen.

Alfredo, I appreciate your vast experience. If not just for me but for the sake of every mineral collector, your 'rantings' might be of much use when deciding to order or ship radio-active minerals.

[Roger Warin]

Hi,
The main danger from the collection of uranium minerals is found in radon. This gas is dangerous to breathe. Don’t open a plastic box under the nose. The collection should be stored in a well ventilated room with extractors.
The main source of radiations is in masses, even small crystals, of uraninite.
Radon is chemically inert (noble gas). It is very heavy. Its density is 8 times that of air.
Its half-life is approximately 4 days. It is therefore very radioactive.
Radon is dangerous because it is inhaled and it is decomposed into the lungs into various dangerous radioisotopes. All are α emitters. And α radiators are the most dangerous if they are absorbed in biological tissues.
Lead boxes give an illusion of protection.
In fact, it is better to see pictures of these minerals as in this site:
https://www.agab.be/mineralogie/Katanga/Katanga.html
(link normalized by FMF)
Roger.

[Mark Ost]

If it is an Alpha emitter then simple shielding should stop any emissions if I recall correctly.

[Roger Warin]

Yes of course. But this is not true when the radioisotope is included in biological tissues. It is then very serious.
However, this is not the same situation if radioisotopes pass through the intestine, in the form of insoluble compounds.
Roger.

[Vitaliy]

[Pierre Joubert]

From what I have read and heard, I pretty much agree with your reasoning Vitaliy M. I have far more concern for our microwave, cellphone etc. than our few pieces of uranophane specimens. The few cigarettes that I puffed when I was 10 probably did far more damage. Regards.

[Vitaliy]

[Pierre Joubert]