[NHCOLL-L:5903] Re: FW: [RCAAM] radioactive minerals

[csturmjr at pitt.edu]

I do not have a definitive answer; however, I believe that it depends on
the radiation that is given off.  In an earlier career, while performing
biomedical research, I was working with isotopes that gave off alpha
radiation. The safety department said that the walls of the glass and
plastic vials that I was using would block the radiation and no further
precautions were needed (30 years ago). If the radiation being release
were gamma rays, they have a much greater potential to cause damage to
living organisms. Handling them I would want a lead apron and probably a
lead container.

Guess the first step would be look up what radiation is being given off
and then proceed from there.

You might also want to contact a collection manage at a museum which
houses a mineralogy collection and see what they recommend.

> I am forwarding this for someone on another list serve.  Please reply
> directly to her.  Her e-mail is laura.gharst at LAKEVIEW-MUSEUM.ORG
> Thanks.
>
> --Leslie
>
> Leslie L. Skibinski
> Collection Manager of Mollusks
> Delaware Museum of Natural History
> 4840 Kennett Pike
> P.O. Box 3937
> Wilmington, DE  19807
>
> Phone:  (302) 658-9111 ext. 311
> Fax:  (302) 658-2610
> e-mail:  lskibinski at delmnh.org
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Registrars Committee of the AAM [mailto:RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU]
> On Behalf Of Laura
> Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2012 12:37 PM
> To: RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU
> Subject: [RCAAM] radioactive minerals
>
>
> Good morning all,
>
> We have 2 very small radioactive minerals in our collection - autunite
> and carnotite. I seem to be finding conflicting information on proper
> storage for these - everything from sealed lead containers to poly bags
> in a box! Can anyone shed some light on this topic?
>
> Thank you so much!
>
> Laura
> Laura Gharst
> Collections Manager
> Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences
> 1125 W. Lake Avenue
> Peoria, IL 61614
> phone:  309-686-7000 ext. 133
> fax:  309-686-0280
> www.lakeview-museum.org
>
>
>
>
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Regards,
Charlie
.................................................
Charlie Sturm

Treasure
American Malacological Society

Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Associate Professor - Family Medicine
Fellow-American Academy of Family Practice
Fellow-Academy of Wilderness Medicine