Poisonous and radioactive dangerous stones and minerals ** - poisonous stones and minerals (mandatory testing in a chemical laboratory + clear indication of toxicity) ** - radioactive stones and minerals (mandatory testing on a standard dosimeter + ban on open sales in case of radioactivity over 24 milliroentgen / hour + additional measures to protect the population) Adamine * Annabergite * Erythrine * Antimonite * Arsenolite ** Arsenopyrite ** Oripigment ** Baildonite * Beryl ** Betafit ** Bismuthinite * Breithauptite * Witherite * Gadolinite ** Halite ** Geocronite * Glaucodotus * Decloysite * Mottramite * Jordanite * Carnotite ** Cinnabar ** Cobaltine * Cottunite * Lyroconite * Marcasite * Monazite * Ammonia * Nickelin * Othenite ** Pyromorphite * Pyrochlore * Proustite * Rammelsbergite * Realgar ** Mercury * Senarmontite * Sulfur * Skutterudite * Strontianite ** Antimony * Tetrahedrite * Thorianite ** Thorite ** Uraninite ** Pharmacolite * Chalcocite * Hutchinsonite * Celestine ** Zircon ** Euxenite ** Enargite * Aeschinite ** Conichalcite Very dangerous and potentially dangerous stones and minerals. (article taken from the forum about stones) I’ve been meaning to write this note for a long time, because... It seems like no one has touched on this topic on this resource yet... I know and see that many sellers/craftsmen really like to buy stones on ebay or alibaba. Of course, these auctions are extremely useful for the master, because... prices for accessories and stones are several orders of magnitude lower there, and the choice is huge. But there are a few "buts". 1. A huge number of fake stones for a dollar a bucket. Only at such auctions can you buy garnet beads of perfect transparency for a couple of dollars, as well as buy a cabochon of larimar or natural turquoise for 3-4 dollars. Do you think the worst thing is if instead of a pomegranate they slip you garnet glass? Or will 100% natural larimar with turquoise turn out to be, at best, colored agate? No. There is also point 2. There is a high probability that, under the guise of harmless rock crystal, an unscrupulous seller will make you happy, for example, with celestine, a mineral that is far from harmless. And even if the seller is a relatively honest comrade, then by purchasing colored beryl beads from such a seller under the guise of a natural, but inexpensive and opaque “emerald,” you can provide your buyer with good radiation exposure, because beryl is a potentially radioactive stone (like, in fact, many of the minerals common in jewelry). And it’s one thing to have a small pebble tested by dosimetric examination, and quite another to have clearly untested beryl beads in three or four rows. Therefore, my dear master sellers, I ask you - do not buy dubious stones from dubious sellers. And if you bought it, try to check these stones with specialists. You purchased, manufactured and sold. And the buyer will have to carry it all on himself. And someone can give the child a trinket to play with. And he, naturally, will put it in his mouth. And how it will end - only God knows. Therefore, I am publishing a list of the most dangerous and potentially dangerous minerals: The most dangerous red cinnabar is mercury sulfide. An extremely attractive-looking, poisonous and difficult to remove from the body mercury salt. It is especially dangerous when taken orally with water and food. Blue celestine, by mistake, negligence or ignorance, is used instead of blue aquamarine and rock crystal in lithotherapy. The most dangerous water-soluble salt of strontium is the most dangerous tumbling of Madagascar celestine, similar to beryl. By mistake, it can be worn instead of blue sapphire (table corundum) and blue kyanite jewelry. The most dangerous “stone of judges” is an opaque natural zircon with abundant rare earths and a crystal lattice significantly damaged by radiation. Green zircons are especially dangerous. Cesium-containing red beryl morganite and golden-greenish beryl heliodor, delicately colored with uranium isotopes, cannot be refined in any installations emitting X-rays and radiation and require mandatory dosimetric certification in metrology. Very rare, but no less dangerous, poisonous green conicalcite is an arsenate, that is, it contains arsenic. The photo on the right is a green garnet uvarovite, which is similar to conicalcite. It is very dangerous in powder, since, unlike uvarovite, it can be ground - criminal lithotherapists add poisonous conicalcite powder to food, causing poisoning and death. A very dangerous radioactive uraninite that accumulates in pegmatites and hydrothermal deposits is uranium oxide. Easily changed and modified in air. The form of uraninite is the most diverse. It was precisely because of the presence of this most dangerous natural mineral that the helium-bearing mines of the Volodar-Volyn pegmatite field in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine were closed to uncontrolled access. Access to these mines for any purpose is permitted to authorized employees of specialized state enterprises if they have working standard and portable dosimeters, reliable plans and working mine navigation devices. Silvery, shining facets, very dangerous arsenopyrite - a compound of arsenic, iron and sulfur. Extremely dangerous upon contact with the body, ingestion, enters the body upon contact with mucous membranes. Like any arsenic compound, it is very poisonous and death occurs very quickly. Blue-black stibnite, which is completely safe for human contact, is antimony sulfide; when taken orally in powder form, it can cause poisoning and even death. Its name translates as “against the monks” - in one of the monasteries, an unscrupulous kitchen worker seasoned the monastery food with stibnite powder and poisoned his “brothers”.

Refining stones with radioactive irradiation is a method of improving their external characteristics, which the average consumer, unfortunately, knows little or is not aware of at all. The method is effective, but extremely dangerous for the health of the person who will wear these radioactive stones.

Read more about the method of refining stones using radiation

Radiation for many is something ephemeral, incomprehensible, imperceptible. Which means it’s as if it doesn’t exist. But this is a big misconception: radiation can cause enormous harm to health, and its sources sometimes become objects that are unexpected for us.

Let's take, for example, semi-precious and ornamental stones. Few people think about the fact that beads, pendants, and earrings can be dangerous because they emit light beyond the permissible limits. Most people are not at all aware that semi-precious and semi-precious stones are sometimes artificially turned into time bombs after special refining treatment.

The following stones are most often exposed to radioactive radiation:

• cornelian
• topaz
• tourmaline
• amethyst
• some types of beryl

Irradiated stone looks very attractive, but what is such beauty worth? Uncontrolled refining is dangerous because it destabilizes atoms and significantly increases the radiation emission of the mineral. The problem is that during irradiation, the radiation spectrum of the reactor remains beyond control. Few people analyze the degree of interaction of radiation with the chemical elements that are part of the structure of the stone. Moreover, it is not checked in what quantity and where exactly (inside or on the surface) radioactive particles remain on the mineral.

The method of irradiating minerals in a nuclear reactor is quite expensive. In the CIS countries, a cheaper method is also usually used - x-ray radiation. It can also significantly increase the level of radioactivity in stones, since this process is in most cases uncontrolled. Irradiation in an X-ray installation causes an increase in decay reactions in stones, as a result of which their level of radioactivity may exceed the permissible level. Therefore, if you are offered amethysts or topazes of excessively intense color, then without measuring radioactivity with a dosimeter, it is better to refrain from making a risky purchase.

Why are radioactive stones dangerous?

Signs of previous irradiation include not only an unusually bright color of the stone, but also a color that is not entirely characteristic of it, and a strange pattern. This does not always mean that the mineral was irradiated uncontrollably, but it is worth being wary. For example, relatively small pale pink morganites (one of the varieties of beryl) can be enriched with microdoses of compounds of the radioactive element cesium. Moreover, their level of radioactivity usually does not exceed 0.19-0.24 µSv/h or 19-24 µR/h.

But, if you see a margonite in front of you that is too large and has an unusually bright color, there is a high probability that it is a radioactive stone hazardous to health, since uncontrolled irradiation methods were used during its processing.

Normally, the exposure dose of ionizing radiation near a stone should not exceed the natural radiation background of the area in which you are located. Usually this is no more than 0.10 -0.25 μSv/h or 10 - 25 μR/h. A level of radioactivity in a mineral exceeding 0.3 μSv/h or 30 μR/h is considered dangerous. Such stones cannot only be worn on the body, but also kept in the house or office. In contact with the skin for a long time, they can cause serious deterioration in health, including the formation of cancerous tumors in organs located near the point of contact.

Naturally radioactive stones

Most non-irradiated stones and minerals are safe for humans. But there are specimens with increased radioactivity, which are dangerous to your health if you keep them with you or wear them on your body. In particular, these include:

• Celestine (strontium sulfate). It is more often found on sale in the form of interior decorations rather than jewelry.
• Zircon (zirconium silicate). You should not purchase this stone on the black market or in a store with a dubious reputation unless you have a radiation dosimeter with you.
• Heliodor (a type of beryl). The darker and larger the stone, the higher the likelihood of danger emanating from it.

The level of radioactivity of these minerals does not always exceed the norm, but it does not hurt to check the purchased samples with a dosimeter.

Measuring the radioactivity of stones as a method of protection

Sellers of jewelry with radioactive stones do not always intentionally deceive buyers. Often they are not aware of the danger that comes from such a product. Even being aware that the mineral was irradiated, many remain completely unaware of the consequences of such refining. Reasons: lack of special knowledge and education, lack of understanding of the very essence of this phenomenon. And how can you prove that the product you are buying is dangerous to wear?

It is truly impossible to do this without special devices. That is why many jewelers and craftsmen who work with stones always carry a portable radiation dosimeter with them. It helps to measure the dose rate of ionizing radiation near the object of interest. In this case - in close proximity to the decorative stone.

This is how they work with a dosimeter. First, the radiation background of the room is measured at a distance from the intended source of radiation. It is advisable to take measurements in several places and calculate the average. Then they begin to check the dose rate of the radiation that comes from the stones. If their level of radioactivity matches the background, then everything is fine. If there is a steady increase in the level of the natural background of the room, you should get rid of the stone immediately.

Which dosimeter is best to use to check the radiation safety of a stone?

It is most wise to use a dosimeter at the purchase stage, so as not to bring into the house ornamental raw materials or decorations that are hazardous to health. The optimal device for these purposes is a miniature radiation dosimeter RADEX ONE. The SBM-20 sensor installed in it detects beta and gamma radiation, taking into account x-ray radiation. The device is comparable in size and weight to a regular highlighter marker, so it will even fit in your pocket.

It’s even better to take a dosimeter to check RADEX RD1008, which also senses alpha radiation. Its dimensions are larger, but it will help identify stones irradiated not only in X-ray installations, but also in a nuclear reactor. The same dosimeters are suitable for measuring the level of radioactivity of previously purchased stones.

When buying jewelry, we rarely think about the fact that it can be deadly. Indeed, what could be hidden in a transparent crystal or gold chain? It's radiation! She cannot be seen, heard, felt, but she is capable of killing slowly and mercilessly. And modern stone processing technologies greatly contribute to this.

Refining stones in nuclear reactors

The radioactive method of refining precious and semi-precious stones is currently very popular. It is carried out by irradiating minerals in a nuclear reactor fueled by uranium or plutonium. This processing method is usually hidden from the consumer, despite the fact that it is very dangerous to human health. The stones obtained as a result of such “processing” in the reactor are too expensive. They acquire an unusual bright color and look incredibly beautiful, which is why they are more expensive than their environmentally friendly counterparts. If you are very lucky, they will casually tell you that the mineral has been irradiated, but you are unlikely to pay any attention to this, and the seller may not know all the intricacies of processing. By wearing jewelry with stones treated with radiation every day, you are putting your health at great risk.

After nuclear treatment, this piece of diamond would be worth millions of dollars due to its absolute clarity and extraordinary brilliance.

As a rule, agates, carnelians, diamonds, topazes, tourmalines, a number of beryls and other minerals are exposed to radioactive irradiation. One of the signs of irradiation is an unusual, fascinating, too bright or uncharacteristic color for the mineral, but this does not always happen.

The radioactivity of irradiated stones is always higher than the natural background radiation. That is why many “traditional healers” attribute magical properties to them, recommending the treatment of many diseases. However, being a weak source of radiation, such jewelry can only cause harm.

As a rule, the irradiation process occurs completely uncontrollably in nuclear reactors in third world countries. No one cares whether radioactive elements or unstable particles remain in the stone, or in what quantity they got inside. With such processing, no one checks the safety of minerals for human health. Indeed, nuclear upgrading brings in a lot of money!

The photo below shows a sample of agate from South America. Judging by the peculiarities of the coloring, it was X-ray irradiation and bombardment with elementary particles that gave it its beautiful iridescence. This method can add interesting color to even faded and colorless stones. The pursuit of huge profits often leads to violations of mineral irradiation technology; moreover, in many countries there is simply no control over such products. However, given the scale of smuggling, there is no need to say that customs barriers can protect Russians from radioactive stones.

Agate pendant from South America, processed in a nuclear reactor

What can such decorations lead to? Radioactive carnelian or agate, even very beautiful ones, playing with all the colors of the rainbow, worn as a pendant, can cause breast or skin cancer, malignant degeneration of birthmarks and moles into sarcoma. Plain agate or tinted with ordinary dyes is safe.
High natural radiation level of the stone

Danger can arise from wearing on your chest a radioactive piece of granite or basalt, as well as any mineral mined near rocks containing uranium, layers with a high radioactive background, near nuclear waste burial sites, etc., and such places on earth, to unfortunately, quite a lot.

Heavy radioactive elements are often found in ornamental stones such as charoite, evidalite, and some Ural gems. Celestite (pale blue crystal) is a strontium salt that is always radioactive. The half-life of strontium is about 1500 years.

Pieces of radioactive minerals can be found not only in jewelry; they are often found in ordinary crushed stone, which is sprinkled on paths, streets, and railway embankments. They are, of course, safe there, but if they end up in your yard or within the walls of your house in large quantities, they can cause radiation sickness. This is why you should always check the safety of minerals using a household portable dosimeter.

Many crystals have high natural levels of radioactivity and should not be used in jewelry.
Gold and stones from Chernobyl

In addition to the illegal irradiation of stones, scandals about radioactive gold and jewelry periodically flare up in the jewelry industry. When a nuclear reactor exploded in Chernobyl, the population within a radius of more than 30 km was hastily evacuated. People took with them the most expensive things: gold and jewelry. Due to safety regulations, everything that was taken out of the danger zone had to be destroyed, but it is reliably known that many gold, silver jewelry and stones contaminated with radiation were “dispersed” to resellers and ended up in the boxes of residents of the Soviet Union. Many of the jewelry were melted down, which is quite often used in the jewelry industry, so no one knows for sure how many tons of radioactive gold and stones are moving around the country. If you have jewelry that you inherited from your mother or grandmother, I strongly recommend checking it with a portable dosimeter.

Many decorations from Chernobyl were not destroyed, as required by the instructions, and still lie in the boxes of unsuspecting citizens.
X-ray treatment of stones

Another popular method of refining stones is X-ray radiation. This method is known and widely used in the CIS countries. It is more affordable than using a nuclear reactor, but X-rays can also make the stone radioactive. Unfortunately, this process of refining minerals is also carried out uncontrollably. You should pay attention to too dark or saturated blue topazes, too violet amethysts. Most likely, they have been x-rayed, and it is better to refrain from purchasing them.

Dangerous minerals

Majority stones and minerals are harmless to humans, as they are stable and chemically passive compounds. However, there are a number minerals, dangerous to varying degrees. They can be divided into three groups:

1) Radioactive. They are dangerous even when worn on the body.

2) Producing toxic fumes. Harmful if vapors are inhaled.

3) Soluble in water. Harmful if ingested or on skin.

Minerals of the third group are especially dangerous for those who believe in lithotherapy and take them orally in powder form.

Below are descriptions of the most common hazardous minerals (source - http://www.webois.org.ua).

Cinnabar. Attracts attention with its bright red color. This is mercury sulfide, a toxic compound that is difficult to remove from the body. It is especially dangerous when taken orally.

Strontium sulfate. Dangerous due to its good solubility in water, especially if ingested.

Zirconium silicate. Often radioactive.

Varieties of beryl are reddish morganite and greenish heliodor. They are radioactive due to the admixture of uranium. They cannot be treated with X-ray radiation, as this increases their radioactivity.

Uraninite is radioactive uranium oxide. Easily changed and modified in air. It was precisely because of the presence of this most dangerous natural mineral that the helium-bearing mines of the Volodarsk-Volynsky pegmatite field in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine were closed to uncontrolled access.

Conicalcite is an arsenate, meaning it contains arsenic. It is easily confused with uvarovite (pictured on the right). Very dangerous when taken orally in powder form.

Arsenopyrite (arsenic pyrite) is a compound of arsenic, iron and sulfur. Extremely dangerous upon contact with the body, ingestion, enters the body upon contact with mucous membranes. Like any arsenic compound, it is very poisonous and acts quickly.

Native sulfur in yellow crystals is not itself dangerous as long as you do not ingest it, do not inhale the sulfur powder, and wash your hands after handling the sulfur crystals. Very dangerous when inhaled are the invisible sulfur vapors emanating from the ground with volcanic activity. It is also dangerous when inhaling a pair of sulfurous sources (including medicinal ones - a side effect of treatment “with sulfur”). A sign of hidden sulfur vapors is the formation of yellow sublimating sulfur crystals.

Table salt is the only mineral whose daily intake is vital for humans. Only colored halite aggregates pose an objective danger - impurities that color table salt in different colors can be poisonous and inedible.

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Radioactive method refining (by irradiation with streams of high-energy elementary particles using nuclear reactors operating on uranium or plutonium) is usually hidden from the consumer, but the most dangerous method for human health to improve the qualities of any stones. At best, the consumer will be casually told that the mineral has been irradiated. Given the complete illiteracy of the population, the consumer simply will not pay attention to this. And the radiation icon familiar to many will not be nearby. Even when offering poisonous stones (for example, conichalcite or cinnabar) for exchange or sale, future owners are not warned about the danger of poisoning, let alone radiation, which is invisible, inaudible and unfelt...

You can carry a small stone on you if its radiation level does not exceed 22-24 milliroentgen/hour. Up to 25-28 milliroentgen/hour, the sample can be safely stored on a shelf in a room where there are no small children or elderly people. The critical threshold is 30 milliroentgen/hour. In Kharkov, the natural background radiation is 16-17 milliroentgen/hour, and the norm is background up to 21-23 milliroentgen/hour. That's probably all.

The literally disregarding attitude of stone sellers towards such a dangerous method of refining as radioactive and other irradiation and bombardment of elementary particles of minerals is striking. Buyers are told with complete confidence that any samples irradiated in a nuclear reactor, after a maximum of half a year, become completely harmless and harmless, supposedly the radiation remains only on the surface of the stone and can be easily washed off with plain water. The presence of nuclear reactions in the stone itself is indiscriminately denied. At the same time, sellers do not know anything about the penetrating ability and classification of this or that radiation, have no special education, are confused in scientific terminology and are absolutely not oriented in the elementary concepts of modern nuclear physics and modeling of physical processes (statistical and otherwise).

Agates, carnelians, topazes, diamonds, tourmalines, a group of beryls and other valuable and expensive minerals can be exposed to radioactive irradiation. A sign of irradiation may be an unusual, too bright or uncharacteristic color of the mineral, or an unusual, pronounced pattern, but not always.

In the case of irradiation, the radioactivity of irradiated samples may be higher than that of the natural background. This could give rise to modern tales about the weak radioactivity of agate or carnelian, which in fact in nature does not have an increased level of radiation and is completely harmless, but after irradiation in a reactor acquired these unusual qualities. We do not consider agates and carnelians and other stones found in places with a sharply increased natural background radiation - they will all be radioactive and dangerous. That is why some dubious experts advise treatment with agates and carnelians as supposedly weak sources of radiation. Let's focus only on artificially irradiated stones.

In most cases, the irradiation process itself occurs completely uncontrolled in nuclear reactors of third countries. Upgrading is carried out using technological holes and entrances that are not structurally intended for this. At the same time, no one controls whether radioactive elements or unstable elementary particles remain on the mineral, in what quantities they were captured and are located inside or on the surface of irradiated mineral samples. No one checks the degree of protection of minerals during such refining, does not analyze the radiation spectrum of the reactor, the interaction of radiation with the chemical elements present in the sample (especially heavy and rare earth elements), does not analyze possible nuclear reactions inside the sample during its irradiation, or the stability of various chemical elements after their irradiation.

The idea that radiation in small doses can have stimulating or healing effects seems strange, but this phenomenon has long been scientifically proven. Radiation is always associated with danger, damage and disease. It does cause many negative effects, but this only happens when we are talking about large doses of radiation, which really do nothing but harm. In our lungs, approximately 30 thousand radioactive atoms of radon, polonium, bismuth and lead that enter with the air decay daily (in the city and among smokers, this figure is much higher). With each meal, approximately 7 thousand uranium atoms enter the human intestines. Radiation in small doses is necessary. A reduced background radiation is no less dangerous for humans than an increased one. But the described methods of uncontrolled refining sharply increase the radiation emission of samples, destabilize their atoms and are therefore extremely dangerous.

Most people do not know that some elements, for example, non-radioactive and completely safe isotopes of uranium (90% of them are found in nature), after bombardment by high-energy elementary particles in a nuclear reactor, can turn into radioactive and dangerous isotopes of uranium (10% are found in nature, they are isolated when enriched, used in nuclear reactors or warheads of nuclear weapons), uranium atoms in the mineral can also capture heavier elementary particles and be converted into very dangerous radioactive plutonium, etc. typical nuclear reactions. All chemical elements that follow uranium and plutonium in the periodic table of Mendeleev have pronounced instability (and therefore radioactivity). After irradiation in a nuclear reactor, their behavior and decay reactions cannot be scientifically predicted, even statistically. What is known for certain is that the instability of elements increases sharply and the level of their natural radiation increases noticeably.

The most annoying thing is that The coloring of gemstones obtained by artificial irradiation often turns out to be unstable. Irradiated blue topaz of imported origin noticeably fades right in the window of a jewelry store within six months. Irradiated aquamarines and other stones rapidly lose their deep color in sunlight. But the hidden danger inside the stone continues to remain and works against the owner, like a time bomb.

Unrefined raw materials may not cost a cent or a penny. Refined raw materials can already be sold for money. For poor third and developing countries, the issue of money is very relevant. The photo on the left shows a presumably irradiated sample of agate from South America (the absence of continuous staining is indicated by unpainted cracks and unpainted transparent zones; the absence of heating is indicated by the unevenness of yellow and red coloring). The peculiarity of irradiation is the identification of hidden structural elements. X-ray irradiation and bombardment of some minerals with elementary particles makes their color deeper and more intense; even colorless stones can become colored. The pursuit of illegal profits too often leads to violations of mineral irradiation technology. In addition, in many third countries there are no clear standards for stone irradiation technologies or strict government control over their use (Ukraine and a number of CIS countries are not among them due to the competent work of the special services).

Unfortunately, sellers do not indicate this dangerous method of refining on the labels and accompanying certificates of precious and valuable stones. When purchasing large quantities of imported refined goods, it makes sense to have and pay for samples to be tested for radioactivity at the Institute of Metrology.

Semi-precious stones retain their color more stable and do not lose it for years. For example, uncontrolled irradiation in a nuclear reactor and that is why a radioactive carnelian or agate (even if very beautiful, with bright colors, with an original and pronounced design), worn as a pendant, can provoke breast or skin cancer in a middle-aged woman, or the malignant degeneration of harmless moles and birthmarks into sarcoma. Plain agate and even agate painted with dyes are completely safe if it has not been exposed to radioactive or x-ray irradiation.

Carrying on the chest (and not only) a radioactive piece of basalt or granite, as well as any mineral sample mined near uranium-containing (and therefore radioactive) rocks and layers or rocks with an increased background of radioactive radiation, on uranium can lead to disastrous results in the form of cancer. mines and radioactive rock dumps, as well as in radioactive waste disposal sites.

Often radioactive pieces are found in crushed stone and rubble stones from freshly quarried ordinary and familiar granite and basalt (on the street and on railway embankments such samples will be quite safe, but if they are in the yard, inside a house or its walls they can provoke radiation sickness) . Therefore, checking questionable mineral samples at the Institute of Metrology will never be superfluous. On the other hand, if the granite is on the street and people mostly walk and pass by next to it, its weak radioactivity will even be useful.

Some rocks are composed of just one mineral, but most contain two or more minerals. Granite, for example, is composed of quartz (white veins), mica (black inclusions) and feldspar (pink and gray inclusions, possibly slightly iridescent). If you look at a piece of rock through a magnifying glass, you can see the minerals that make it up. Volcanic rocks are formed when magma originating deep within the Earth cools and hardens. If this occurs underground, the rocks are called intrusive volcanic rocks (granite). If magma erupts from the craters of volcanoes and hardens on the surface, then the resulting rocks are called extrusive volcanic rocks (basalt, obsidian). Since nuclear decay reactions continue in the planet's core and liquid magma, fairly young volcanic rocks can be somewhat radioactive.

Rare earth and heavy elements are found in small quantities in such ornamental minerals of complex composition as eudialyte, charoite, some Ural ornamental gems, etc. The mineral celestine (pale blue crystals) is a strontium salt (sulfate). In any case, salts of strontium and other heavy and rare earth metals are radioactive. Radioactive strontium has a half-life of about 1,500 years. Lead is capable of absorbing a huge amount of high-energy elementary particles and harmful radiation, but after that it itself becomes dangerous. It should be kept in mind that such naturally radioactive or artificially irradiated rocks and mineral specimens can be quite beautiful and rare.

You should not carry or store anywhere radioactive rocks, minerals and materials illegally removed from the 30-kilometer zone around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (Ukraine), as they are hazardous to health. Even simply storing them in a room can cause serious illness. A nuclear reactor exploded in Chernobyl. remember, that Radiation is invisible, inaudible and odorless.

The method by which samples are exposed X-ray exposure in certified installations (for example, those intended for customs inspection of things or medical X-ray installations), is less dangerous and much more affordable than the use of nuclear reactors. X-ray radiation from such devices has been well studied and is much less dangerous than radiation from nuclear reactors. But the uncontrolled use of X-ray irradiation can also be harmful to the health of a person who has acquired X-ray-enhanced samples, since X-ray radiation can provoke nuclear decay reactions in the mineral that are enhanced compared to the natural background.

Unfortunately, this process of mineral refining is also completely uncontrolled. It can be performed in Ukraine and the CIS. Therefore, do not buy very dark and richly colored blue topazes, too dark purple amethysts, etc. If amethyst druses (crystal clumps) are purple all the way down to the base, and their tops are almost black (such specimens go on sale), this indicates that they have been home-made irradiated. Reasonable irradiation restores the lilac color of amethysts that have become gray or brown in the light. Most often, the bases of unrefined amethyst crystals are colorless (rock crystal) or milky white (opaque chalcedony), the color appears in the middle of the crystal or closer to its top, where the color is most intense.

The most harmless (and most unstable) type of stone refining, which can be done even at home, is ultraviolet irradiation under special ultraviolet lamps. No nuclear reactions occur during this process, since ultraviolet radiation itself cannot provoke them (even the most powerful, it is only ionizing). Even colorless or lightly colored specimens can develop unexpected colors (for example, a synthetic colorless sapphire will take on a wine-like hue not found in nature, resembling expensive topaz). You can experiment quite boldly with this method of refining, not forgetting to protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation with special glasses.

By the way, visitors to solariums and lovers of artificial tanning under ultraviolet lamps would do well to remind that during these procedures you need to remove all jewelry, especially with precious stones, amethysts, quartz, topazes and sapphires, since their color can change even with short-term strong or prolonged weak ultraviolet irradiation.

CELESTINE

A rather soft mineral (hardness 3-3.5 units), which is now called celestine, was first discovered in Sicily in 1781. This strontium sulfate (SrSO4) received its modern name in 1798 thanks to the initiative of the German mineralogist A. Werner. He used the ancient Greek word caelestial (heavenly) to emphasize the delicate blue color of the crystals of the mineral he described. Traces of calcium and barium can sometimes be found in celestine. It is thanks to these substances that celestine crystals fluoresce in ultraviolet light. Celestite crystals are of hydrothermal origin and are found among granites and pegmatites formed at very high temperatures. Used as strontium ore. The mineral definitely cannot be dissolved in water or irradiated with anything, as this can have very dangerous consequences.

However, sometimes celestine crystals are formed as a result of the drying out of small bodies of salt water. This happens because celestine is soluble in water. According to some sources, the skeletons of such marine unicellular organisms as radiolarians consist of strontium sulfate. Such delicate skeletons are prevented from dissolving in water by a thin protein film, which disappears after the death of the creator cell.

DANGEROUS BERYLS

This is not the only stone of its kind with naturally elevated levels of radiation. For example, the yellow and golden-green varieties of beryl called heliodors, are colored this way because they contain uranium. A variety of pink and crimson beryl called morganite (sparrow) contains cesium atoms. These minerals definitely should not be irradiated with anything additional (neither with X-rays, nor especially in a nuclear reactor), and in general, it makes sense to refrain from purchasing and wearing particularly large stones, regardless of their jewelry value, rarity and beauty.