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Author Topic: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it  (Read 32907 times)

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finegemdesigns

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #45 on: January 02, 2018, 11:58:03 PM »

Are masks, the kind with rubber bands sufficient?  What about respirators?  I have heard that Cerium O is not a good thing to breathe without something to block that dust floating in the air.  I have one lung left from Vietnam, so I want to be sure to keep it functioning, of course.  All opinions are welcome.  I use the rubber band kind when grinding/sanding/polishing, and a Harbor Freight respirator when using polishing agents like CO / TO/ Linde A/ #61 Rapid Polish, etc.  I think this is important as all of you guys are rare and there are not a lot of us.

I use a 3M mask like this one:

3M(TM) Half Facepiece Respirator Assembly 6291/07002(AAD), Medium, with 3M(TM) Particulate Filters 2091/07000(AAD), P100

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Facepiece-Respirator-6291-Particulate/dp/B000FTEDMM/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1514965877&sr=1-6&keywords=3m+mask

The disposable ones are lighter but they wear out quickly so the 3M is more economical long term.

I also had a big eye scare this summer when I was grinding without safety glasses. A particle grazed my eye and I was lucky it didn't go in. I now ALWAYS wear safety glasses. I got these and they are excellent:

3M Virtua CCS Protective Eyewear 11872-00000-20, Foam Gasket, Anti Fog Lens, Clear

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AEXKR4C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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ileney

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #46 on: February 28, 2019, 07:21:52 PM »

Thanks! Someone else suggested this and I actually bought it but feel the seal to my face doesn't fit that well.  However, I also just bought one of those lightweight full face shields and figure that combined with even a leaky mask will probably protect pretty well against most anything.
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Michael

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #47 on: March 01, 2019, 11:15:46 AM »

Missed a rock hound trip going to Nevada because they were collecting Galena, which I believe is more than a bit toxic.  Who needs the trouble?
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Kaljaia

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #48 on: March 01, 2019, 01:37:28 PM »

On the subject of toxic rock, if I want to know if the red in a rock is cinnabar, or if the dark silvery luster is lead-based, where do I send it?
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- Erika

I rock hunt in the Antelope/Ashwood area of the John Day river basin in Oregon.

VegasJames

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #49 on: March 01, 2019, 05:55:28 PM »

Missed a rock hound trip going to Nevada because they were collecting Galena, which I believe is more than a bit toxic.  Who needs the trouble?

I have collected galena here is Nevada multiple times. Never been poisoned by it since it is only toxic if ingested or from inhaling fumes during smelting.

By the way do you ever drink wine? You may be surprised that many wines, especially red wines, contain high levels of lead. In fact under California law banning the sale of products with a certain level of lead I would not be surprised if many California wines are being sold in violation of California law.
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Michael

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #50 on: March 02, 2019, 09:33:37 AM »

Thanks for the Galena information, James.  I shall keep what you said in mind.  About the lead in wine, is this absorbed by the ground water in CA where there may have been run off by industrial applications?  With all the notoriety about lead in paint, and other products, you would think that CA Health Departments, etc, would test for lead content in wine.   
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VegasJames

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #51 on: March 03, 2019, 02:37:59 AM »

Thanks for the Galena information, James.  I shall keep what you said in mind.  About the lead in wine, is this absorbed by the ground water in CA where there may have been run off by industrial applications?  With all the notoriety about lead in paint, and other products, you would think that CA Health Departments, etc, would test for lead content in wine.

The lead primarily comes from all the decades they used leaded gasoline. Many of the vineyards are right next to freeways. All that lead spewed out in the exhaust ended up in the soil where it was picked up by the plants.

There are all sorts of dangerous things out there the government turns a blind eye to. Take for example the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs that the FDA lowball estimates around 16,500 deaths a year from. Yet these drugs are even sold over the counter. If there is sufficient money to be made or the lobbyists for the industry are strong the government turns a blind eye.
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Slabbercabber

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #52 on: March 03, 2019, 04:26:07 AM »

Lapis turns the cutting fluid blue due to the opalescent nature of lazurite  (Na,Ca)8[(S,Cl,SO4,OH)2|(Al6Si6O24).  It is non toxic.
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irockhound

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #53 on: March 03, 2019, 10:45:05 AM »

Know what is funny and sad at the same time?  Some of the reservoirs that have been created in California for drinking water actually submerged Mercury mines.  Somebody had to think that was okay.  Yumm

I included a state study that shows the Reservoirs that have Mercury problems.  The site also has a map of Large and Small scale Mercury mines and a map of the Reservoirs and I overlaid them just to see the scope of mines that were incorporated into the reservoirs.  Makes you want to drink sea water.
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ileney

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Re: Poisonous(toxic) rock and wearing it
« Reply #54 on: March 06, 2019, 01:53:23 PM »

 I think it is more toxic as an airborne inhalant if you breathe it in while grinding it or you vacuum it up and the vacuum cleaner has mercury laden exhaust  or if you eat way too much fish that swallowed it. In Water, it is not as toxic oddly enough, from my understanding.
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