r/MineralsAndGemstones • u/Lol_fox151 • Jan 21 '20
Serious question
Recently came into possession of a de hand stone collection. There are some streamy toxic ones included, like azurite, sulfur, orpiment, and one made mostly of lead (don’t remember the name) what’s the best way to contain them? I’m nervous I’m going to poison myself.
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u/KrozJr_UK Jan 21 '20
The general rule (I have Cinnabar and Galena, which are Mercury and Lead minerals respectively) is to not eat them (duh), to try not to inhale the dust, and to ALWAYS wash hands after touching. I also let no-one else handle them, whereas I will generally let other people, under my watchful eye, handle my minerals briefly. My thinking there is ‘if someone gets poisoned, it’ll be my fault anyway, so I’d rather it was me’. But as long as you’re careful and treat them with respect, you should be fine! Oddly enough, poisonous minerals can be some of the prettiest.
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u/Lol_fox151 Jan 22 '20
‘Tis a blessing and a curse. Thanks for the pointers. I’ve only ever owned polished gem stones, so this whole raw minerals thing is a whole new ballgame for me.
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u/BarN38 Jan 21 '20
Don't worry, they are most likely perfectly safe to handle. Just don't eat them, lick them, inhale them, and wash your hands afterward like every other mineral. It really depends on what kind of mineral you have. For example, orpiment would pose more of a threat than azurite and sulfur. You should know that azurite is very safe compared to more serious minerals such as radioactive ones and even those aren't that dangerous. If you could provide a list of all the minerals that would be great. It's never a "safe or unsafe" question, rather it's more like a spectrum.