FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[cascaillou]

If you prefer to see this article in PDF format, click on this link
The same article in PDF format also in: https://www.academia.edu/40433628/An_Overview_of_Minerals_Toxicity

Here you have the article in 'magazine style' :
















































Links featured in the article:

https://chem.nlm.nih.gov/chemidplus/chemidheavy.jsp

https://www.alfa.com/

https://www.acros.com/

https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/

http://www.webmineral.com/

https://www.academia.edu/21052256/Radon_Levels_in_Abandoned_Metalliferous_Mines_Devon_Southwest_England

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/88-101/88-101.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB88101

https://tinyurl.com/HealthSafetyMinerals

https://www.mindat.org/article.php/553/Solubility+Data+on+646+Common+and+Not+So+Common+Minerals

https://www.mineralatlas.eu/index.php?lang=en&language=english

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/96-112/

https://www.academia.edu/31501150/Here_be_Dragons_The_Care_and_Feeding_of_Radioactive_Mineral_Species_Feb_2017_

[John Betts]

What about absorption through the skin?

[cascaillou]

Indeed, skin (dermal) absorption is also addressed in the article (if a mineral may show significant skin absorption, it is mentioned).

[Matt_Zukowski]

Thanks for pulling this all together.

[cascaillou]

Here are a few quality specimens to illustrate the topic:

[SteveB]

Thank you for posting this!

[Tracy]

Nice write-up on why we shouldn't eat our specimens, crush them and snort the powder, or rub them vigorously on skin (especially injured or broken skin)...with that I'm stepping off my eternal soapbox.

Happy 2020!
Tracy

[cascaillou]

To summarize, minerals toxicity is mostly an occupational concern (i.e. to workers of the mining and stone industry), while mineral collectors should be on the safe side as long as some simple safety precautions are observed in the handling and storage of a rather limited number of potentially hazardous species.

The most basic safety precautions would firstly consist of the following:

For toxic minerals:
-Do not lick or ingest or sniff (and if the mineral is known for skin absorption then also avoid prolonged skin contact)
-Do not put your hand to your face (mouth, nose, eyes) and do not eat, drink or smoke during the manipulation of the specimen
-Do not generate dust by grinding, sawing or polishing the specimen so to avoid inhalation or ingestion of dust
-Wash hands after handling the specimens
-Keep the specimens away from food and kitchen
-Keep the specimens out of young children reach

For radioactive minerals: apply the very same precautions than for toxic minerals, and additionally:
-Avoid frequent or prolonged manipulations of radioactive minerals, and preferably wear disposable gloves for handling
-Do not store radioactive minerals in rooms where you spend most of your time (not in bedroom)
-Store radioactive minerals in a well-ventilated area (not in a confined basement)
-Keep radioactive minerals in limited quantities

See article for more details.