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Mineral ExchangesWanted: (high) quality specimens of radioactive minerals

21st Aug 2014 08:00 UTCErich Berger

Hello,

I am looking for radioactive "gem" stones, raw or cut. "gem" because I am aware that most of them would not at all fullfill the gemmy criteria. I would be glad for any help in tracking down sources. Possible candidates include but not limited to:

Betafite

Coffinite

Ekanite

Polycrase

Samarskite

Thorianite

Thorite

Ytrocrasite

As an example what this could be: http://www.ebay.de/itm/SAMARSKITE-1-03-cts-Colorado-USA-/161308311513?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_71&hash=item258eb97fd9

Best regards

Erich

21st Aug 2014 14:33 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

I can understand collecting radioactive minerals but for cutting? What purpose does that serve? It only endangers the people cutting the stones and creates all kinds of environmental problems in terms of disposal of the cuttings and water used in cutting. Next thing you know some fool will be wearing radioactive jewelry or attributing all kinds of healing properties to this stuff. This is not something that should be encouraged!

21st Aug 2014 16:50 UTCErich Berger

Dear Reiner,

just for clarification it is not my intention to cut them, nor use them for esoteric healing properties.

Best

Erich

21st Aug 2014 18:02 UTCDon Swenson

"just for clarification it is not my intention to cut them, nor use them for esoteric healing properties."

Then what do you want them for? If you want high quality specimens to admire, why not ask for them? Without further information I'm inclined to side with Reiner.

21st Aug 2014 18:34 UTCErich Berger

Dear Don,

I was asking for them in my first request because I am a collector and in the last years became more and more interested in radioactive (and REE) minerals. I first collected them myself (in Finland) but now want to extend and diversify the collection. Most of the Finnish radioactive minerals are altered and metamict and so I am looking for better specimens also some which can not be found in Finland. I recently discovered that there is also this "gem" type of material available and got interested in it. But unlike with other radioactive minerals I found sources for these "gem" likes so far only on Ebay. To broader my view on their availability, learn and be able to judge about their quality I thought to write to the forum. I am also registered here for 2 years now (not long compared to many others) and made tiny contributions Mindat - just to add this that I do not come entirely out of the blue.

Best

Erich

21st Aug 2014 19:44 UTCAaron Cross

Maybe check with Philip Persson of Persson rare minerals, he lives here in Denver and Specializes in Colorado minerals. Very nice guy and very knowledgable with REE.

http://perssonrareminerals.com/

21st Aug 2014 20:04 UTCErich Berger

Dear Aaron,

Thank you very much for this link, that is really interesting material.

Best

Erich

21st Aug 2014 20:05 UTCMark Heintzelman 🌟 Expert

"just for clarification it is not my intention to cut them" . . . but you would still consider purchasing a gem-cut radioactive stone because what, it's OK as long as someone else suffers the consequences?

Also agree with Renier, and just to make it clear that this is a practice I would strongly discourage, I would suggest boycotting the purchase of any such items. It seems pretty likely such stones are being cut in second or third world nations by individuals who are completely unaware of the potential dangers.

MRH

21st Aug 2014 20:19 UTCErich Berger

Dear Mark,

I completely share your concern and this is one of the reasons I am posting here. I thought here I would get information about serious and recommended sources like the one which was pointed out by Aaron.

Best

Erich

21st Aug 2014 20:44 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

As long as you avoid using the words cutting and gem in combination with radioactive you should be able to get some help on Mindat in finding a source for radioactive and REE minerals.

21st Aug 2014 20:53 UTCErich Berger

Hello Rainer,

so let me try it again rephrased:

I am looking for radioactive minerals which are rather pure pieces, chunks or crystals > 5mm. I would be glad for any help in tracking down sources. Possible candidates include but not limited to:

Betafite

Coffinite

Ekanite

Polycrase

Samarskite

Thorianite

Thorite

Ytrocrasite

Uraninite and more

Best regards

Erich

21st Aug 2014 21:15 UTCDon Swenson

I believe we can make allowances for the fact that English isn't your first language. Your desire to acquire high quality specimens is understandable. I cannot comment on most of the species on your list, but Topsham, Maine, USA is unquestionably the source of the best uraninite crystals. You should examine photos of them on Mindat so you will be aware of "top quality" for this species. Good luck.

22nd Aug 2014 01:50 UTCRudy Bolona Expert

I have thought about having some of my extra radioactives that I have collected cut, but not into "fancy" facets. Instead into textbook crystals of that species that is being cut. Much like the wooden models, except these would be made from the real thing. It would be quite the undertaking and probably not what your everyday cutter would want to deal with. The very nature of this material would scare most of them away. The dangerous mess could be controlled with wet cutting and using a good respirator as extra precaution. The wet slurry mess would be the biggest pain to deal with.

22nd Aug 2014 02:07 UTCJohn orellana

I just found some hyalite opal in the mountains of central Mexico and some pieces contain uranyl in it. It's not that radioactive but when you see it under a UV light it glows bright green and in the sun it shows a play of color of pink, green, blue, and yellow

22nd Aug 2014 02:52 UTCNinjakick

Hi there.... didnt read the whole conversation, but I was interested to hear mention of the state of Maine. I live there, and recently found some minerals that I'm unsure about. They were all clustered in a swirl of pinkish white feldspar with tons of dark black quartz... spotted with what looks to be garnet-y dust. Around the metal chunks is sometimes a gold/yellow residue. They stick to a magnet, but metal doesnt stick to them... uraninite? A lot are singular little 8 sided super heavy feeling metal... dark black with silvery reflectivity on some surfaces. Some of the ones about as wide as a quarter have a few different shapes kinda legoed together. Sorry if my terminology is off. I'm just curious about the safety of the pretty baubles I been toting about in my pocket today.

22nd Aug 2014 05:30 UTCErich Berger

hello,

I just realized that the topic subject still contains the trigger words - so I hope it is not off the mindat netiquette to reopen my request in a new topic in this forum.

Please post to the new topic called "Wanted: (high)quality specimens of radioactive minerals"

Best

Erich

27th Aug 2014 22:30 UTCRay Ladbury

Erich,

I have some fairly nice, gemmy ekanite from Sri Lanka. I also have some good-sized specimens of monazite (opaque) from Brazil--some of which have at least some crystal faces.

As to cutting radioactive material, I do know some folks who have done this. The risk is inhaling any dust that comes off of the lap, and this can be mitigated somewhat by keeping the lap very wet. You do of course have to collect the water and then clean the lap very thoroughly.

28th Aug 2014 07:01 UTCErich Berger

Thank you Ray, I will PM you.

Best

Erich

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