[NHCOLL-L:5913] Fw: [RCAAM] radioactive minerals

[Dr Heidi Fourie]

Dear everyone, 
I'm resending this as a test, had to resubscribe.
  This is slightly applicable to some palaeontological collections.  Fossils from the Karoo contain some radio-active materials and we've had discussions on the list about the radon daughters.  I was advised to wear a deep skin-dose dosimeter which had only spiked 3 times in 3 years, not bad.  There is guidelines on Conserve-O'-Gram to store these fossils.  I wonder is it also then the same for radio-active minerals, just a thought.
  I've got some very nice results from measurements taken by the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa and some fossils even contained radium (Ra-226) and uranium.  
  Heidi
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: MELLIER Benoît 
    To: 'nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu' 
    Sent: Friday, March 16, 2012 11:29 AM
    Subject: [NHCOLL-L:5907] [RCAAM] radioactive minerals


    Hi everyone,

    A few years ago, while we began to make an inventory of our minerals collection, we decided to better manage our radioactive minerals because most of them were in exhibit cabinet. A french laboratory, specialized in handling radioactive artefacts, came and made a diagnostic. Every radioactive rock has been taken out of our exhibition gallery ; we placed them in a storeroom in 3 metallic drums as shown in the attached files and the tech-lab built a wall of brick made of lead. The lead box is empty but may contains some radioactive dust so we let it there.

    Concerning the risks, beyond one meter there is no risk for us. There’s a risk if you stay close to the drums more than 100 hours. Another risk is to consider : when a radioactive rock is stored in a closed bag or box, a gas named radon stores up in the packaging and when you open it there’s a risk breathing this radioactive gas.

    Hope it can help you.



    Benoît



    ------------------------------

    Benoît MELLIER

    Gestion des collections

    Muséum des sciences naturelles

    41 place Imbach

    49100 Angers

    benoit.mellier(at)ville.angers.fr    tél. 02 41 05 48 53   



    www.angers.fr/museum/












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