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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Hello Everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"> While I’ve not dealt with radioactivity and fossils, though maybe I should get our collection checked, I do have experience with radioactive items. In particular radium aircraft dials.
I don’t know the difference in radioactivity levels between an ‘average’ fossil of concern and a dial but I’m guessing the levels would be similar and the health concerns would be similar as well (i.e. inhalation of particles, exposure). Unless there is a
large collection of dials the over all exposure concern of properly housed items is low, short of having them in the same office as yourself. Typically these dials are double or triple sealed in PP or PE bags and then stored in PP or PE containers with approximately
4-10 in a container depending on level of concern. This rather effectively blocks the majority of the radioactivity being emitted by these items and as long as you are not sitting beside them everyday the occasional exposure is similar to background levels.
This also contains any dust from the items so that it isn’t inhaled by anyone. Any gas buildup is also contained in this setup. Depending on the material the inhalation may be of more concern than the exposure as some radioactive materials very readily get
absorbed into your system when inhaled or ingested. Radium, as with the aircraft dials, mimics calcium so your body happily stores it in your bones and that does not end well…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"> If anyone has any sources for good/cheap Geiger metres I’d be interested in hearing about them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">William Shepherd<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Collections Officer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Swift Current Museum<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">44 Robert Street West<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Swift Current, Saskatchewan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">S9H 4M9<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Phone: 306-778-4815<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Fax: 306-778-4818<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Archives: <a href="http://sain.scaa.sk.ca/collections/swift-current-museum">
<span style="color:#0563C1">http://sain.scaa.sk.ca/collections/swift-current-museum</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Library: <a href="https://www.librarything.com/profile/SwiftCurrentMuseum">
<span style="color:#0563C1">https://www.librarything.com/profile/SwiftCurrentMuseum</span></a></span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Website: <a href="http://www.swiftcurrent.ca"><span style="color:#0563C1">http://www.swiftcurrent.ca</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Tacker, Christopher<br>
<b>Sent:</b> September 28, 2018 9:02 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Guillaume BILLET <guillaume.billet@mnhn.fr>; nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] [External] Fossil collections and radioactivity<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Hi, everyone,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">A resource for this is the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.smmp.net/rept-rad.htm">http://www.smmp.net/rept-rad.htm</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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RADIOACTIVE SPECIMENS IN MINERAL COLLECTIONS - SMMP</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:15.0pt;line-height:10.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#666666"><a href="http://www.smmp.net">www.smmp.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:15.0pt;line-height:15.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#666666">HANDLING RADIOACTIVE SPECIMENS IN MINERAL COLLECTIONS. In 1996, in response to concerns expressed by SMMP members
and others regarding the proper handling of natural specimens of radioactive minerals, members produced the reports below on behalf of their institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><br>
There are policies from several different museums. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">One of your local universities, or government, will have classes in radiation safety for anyone using research isotopes or X-ray diffraction, etc. I strongly recommend that you
take one, simply as a matter of self-defense.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">The problem is twofold, first, local and national safety regulations on radiation exposure. Second, possible radon emitted. In both cases you need measurements to assist you in
making plans. A good radiation meter is essential. You'll need to measure radon inside the storage cases as well as ambient radon.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">On top of these problems is the fact that, at our state level, naturally occurring forms/sources of radiation are not regulated. Radiation exposure may be, and radon almost certainly
is. Dust you can probably treat as you usually handle dust, or treat it as an inhaled silica problem.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">I kind of doubt that there's enough radiation to matter in the specimens. Phosphatic layers from the Lee Creek mine in Aurora, North Carolina, are mapped in the subsurface using
gamma logs. However, I've stood on a pile of the ore with a Geiger counter and measured nothing.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Finally, I can recommend from experience that you be discreet in working with the radiation issue. More than once, I've had people panic over marginally radioactive materials.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">Chris Tacker<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">Chris Tacker, Ph.D., P.G., Research Curator, Geology<br>
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences <a href="http://www.naturalsciences.org/">
http://www.naturalsciences.org/</a><br>
11 West Jones Street<br>
Raleigh, NC 27601-1029<br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">Please note:<br>
E-mail and phone have both changed:<br>
<a href="mailto:christopher.tacker@naturalsciences.org">christopher.tacker@naturalsciences.org</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"> 919-707-9941.</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
</span><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North<br>
Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.</span></i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From:</span></b><span style="color:black"> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>> on behalf of Guillaume BILLET <<a href="mailto:guillaume.billet@mnhn.fr">guillaume.billet@mnhn.fr</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 28, 2018 5:11:19 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [External] [Nhcoll-l] Fossil collections and radioactivity</span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to Report Spam.<<a href="mailto:report.spam@nc.gov">mailto:report.spam@nc.gov</a>><br>
<br>
<br>
Hello everyone,<br>
<br>
in the fossil mammal collection of the MNHN Paris, we are currently<br>
dealing with issues of high level radioactivity for a number of<br>
specimens (>usual background radiation) and we are trying to set up an<br>
action plan. For this reason, we would love to hear about the policy in<br>
other Museums concerning radioactive fossils.<br>
Do you systematically measure specimens for radioactivity in your fossil<br>
collection? Does your institution have a strict policy about<br>
radioactive fossils? Most particularly, how do you cope with the risk of<br>
inhaling radioactive dust due to such specimens?<br>
<br>
Many thanks and best wishes<br>
Guillaume<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
Guillaume BILLET<br>
Assistant Professor & Curator (MNHN)<br>
Maître de conférences & Chargé de conservation (MNHN)<br>
<br>
Centre de Recherches sur la Paléobiodiversité et les Paléoenvironnements (CR2P)<br>
UMR CNRS 7207<br>
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle<br>
8, rue Buffon<br>
75231 Paris Cedex 05, FRANCE<br>
Phone + 33 (0)1 40 79 38 14<br>
<br>
Email address: <a href="mailto:guillaume.billet@mnhn.fr">guillaume.billet@mnhn.fr</a><br>
<br>
<br>
Collection website / Site des collections: <a href="http://colhelper.mnhn.fr">http://colhelper.mnhn.fr</a><br>
AND: <a href="http://www.mnhn.fr/en/collections/collection-groups/palaeontology/mammal-fossils">
http://www.mnhn.fr/en/collections/collection-groups/palaeontology/mammal-fossils</a><br>
<br>
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