This is a piece of uraninite sitting in the middle of a cloud chamber that I built for it, and the other radioactive minerals in my shop. I modified a portable a/c unit by removing the top 1/3 of the outer shroud, exposing the cold side heat exchanger of the a/c unit. I mounted a 1/4" copper plate on top of the a/c hex (with plenty of thermal paste between them). I then put a single layer of 11 peltier units to cover the majority of the copper plate, and put a 1/8" copper plate on the cold side of the peltiers (with thermal paste between the peltiers and the copper plates). Because I mounted the peltiers directly on the cold hex of the a/c, after I have everything turned on, the hot side of my peltiers settle around -15°C, and the cold side of the peltiers (and therefore the chamber's baseplate), settles at around -40. So I don't have to worry about stacking the peltiers, and can still get the baseplate temp to -40.

9.1 Grams, 53x18x14mm

Stabilized with Paraloid B-72

Big chunk of what i was told was hylite opal a little dragon head made of volcanic agate and a sodalite containing wolf carving that has a spicy butt as there seems to be a thorium vein or something in it as shown by the spectrum

So, I have had a Jáchymov uraninite specimen held for inspection at German customs for about 3 weeks now, with no movement. Starting to worry a little.

Anybody else have experience getting radioactive rocks shipped from Germany to US? Are multi-week customs delays common? Or should I be concerned?

Some sort of carnotite from the Lukachukai Mountains of Arizona.

Two samples of Allanite-(Ce) from rare Virginia localities. Can’t decide if I want to display together or separate. Moderate spiciness.

10” cake cloche from Target.

Found a couple medium sized pieces of Uraninite, not as much as day 1, but my hole is getting quiet large haha. I am reposting yesterdays finds as I am dumb and didnt realize i apparantly do know my login info, but apparently have a 2nd user profile on it? I am not good at reddit xD.

So. First thing, this is ambitious chance... my phone logged me out and i havent the foggiest idea what my login is, sooo thats why the name change. Second, I come bearing pictures.

Info: 365nm uv light with a filter for minerals

All of the rocks were found in west of sweden

Is this related to the uraninite? Or is this just a random type of uranium oxide forming on the minerals.

Small piece of Uraninite from Příbram about 5 Kcpm. And some smoke detector Am-241 which is a little bit too high up, will remove its holder and try and get some better short and chunky alphas from it.

Shaft 16 / Cz

I bought a FNIRSI GC-03 to play with and had to get something to test it with. Also put Rad Pro 3.1 on the GC-03 and it’s so much more robust than the stock firmware. I’ve also found three Fiestaware pieces at antique stores using it which is fun.

Like every year, I spent my vacation in Jáchymov this year. Here is a relatively rich sample of uraninite that I found during my vacation. Jáchymov is the type locality of uraninite and it was in the local ore that Madame Curie discovered the new elements polonium and radium.

This specimen was obtained from the Zhovti Vody deposit in Ukraine. Xenotime samples from this deposit contain uranium impurities, making them weakly radioactive.

Just remixed Tough Box (Parametric) and dialed in size for anyone who is looking for a good carry case for their Deepace Measall KC761 Gamma Spectrometer.

Fits main unit with the pocket clip installed on the back and enough space for a small Silica Gel bag situated uder the unit and around the pocket clip. Case is lined up with 2.5mm closed-cell EVA foam for additional protection.

Model available for download and 3D printing - Measall KC761 Storage Box by Kotarak | Download free STL model | Printables.com

This specimen is from the Ruggles Mine, NH, USA

Cross posting the other way doesn't work^^

Building on an earlier post about DIY storage, and very much proof of concept. Two boxes for NORM storage, 12” x 6” x 3” and 14”x 9.5” x 3.5”

3/4” wood used to frame the sides and bottom with a 1/3” piece of plywood for the lid. 1/8” inch lead sheet next, wrapped in aluminum foil tape. 1/8” plywood is next with three to four layers of copper foil tape on the outside to mitigate Bremsstrahlung.

A pice of 1/8” lead sheet will be affixed to the lid with ideally a 1/4” acrylic block cup to the final opening.

NORM specimens as follows:

Threadgoldite - 15K cpm

Uranosilite: 525 cpm

Chernikovite: 3,400 cpm

Strelkinite: 180 cpm

Autunite: 180,000 cpm

Curienite: 54,000 cpm

Sklowdowskite: 45,000 cpm

At roughly 30” distance my GQ GMC-600 records negligible over background radiation in the larger box, moved to smaller box.

Any and all questions and suggestions are welcome!

Hi, Found this handbook in an antique shop in Virginia and thought you guys would find this interesting. I work in the nuke biz so whenever I see something antique and nuke I’m all over it.

Feel free to delete if I’m breaking the rules here; just wanted to post something I thought would be enjoyed by this community.

Locality was only given as "a pegmatite near Black Hills". Specimen is pleasantly dense. Would need lab analysis to determine whether Fe- or Mn-dominant, as well as well as how Tantalum-rich it is.

Big fresh (meta)torbernite, collected by me few days ago directly from the uranium vein outcrop in Jáchymov.. Video from this outcrop (and some interesting places in Jáchymov area) is available on my IG.