Uranium and Thorium are power metals, large amounts of
energy can be extracted from them by nuclear fission. This
makes their minerals of great economic and military
importance in the world today. The geochemistry of uranium
makes it a very versatile element. Literally hundreds of
minerals of uranium exist that are known of.
New minerals of Uranium are being found even in these
days where much of the earth's surface has been explored and
exploited economically. Most of the minerals found are so
rare that diamonds are as common as road gravel by
comparison.
AAn example of uranium's versatility in forming new
minerals is how it crystalizes. Uraninite, which is Uranium
Oxide (UO2), is the most common uranium mineral.
Its crystal form can vary from
Octahedral to Cubic crystals, and all forms in between.
Other Uranium minerals form crystals that are unusual for
any mineral, such as
Marthozite. Still others may show no crystal form, like
Umbozerite, will rarely form crystals, such as Samarskite,
or have crystals so fine that their exact form is uncertain,
as with
Coconinoite. There are often a wide variety of forms
even within a single mineral.
It is extremely unlikely that any person or organization
will ever collect every uranium or thorium mineral known to
exist. Many are so rare that they occur at only one
location. Many of these, such as
Larisaite and
Ulrichite, not only have been found at just one
location, but that location is either no longer accessable
due to the mine being closed, filled in and sold for
developement, or the deposit has been completely excavated
and no more is being found.
Other areas one can speciallize in are the solid solution
minerals. Uraninite and <"a
href="../UTh/Thorianite.htm">Thorianite are the end minerals
of a spectrum of solid solution minerals containg varying
proportions of each. Even the cariability of the basic
crystal form of a single mineral can present a challeng to
the collector. Martozoite has an unusuall crystal structure,
with many of the faces being present or absent in even
neighboring crystals. The Even the angle of the 'barn roof'
has been seen to be somewhat variable. If one cannot obtain
all these minerals, it is still a challenge to try to obtain
all the known varients of a single mineral.
Hazards of Uranium Minerals
Uranium and Thorium are radioactive elements. This gives
their minerals both an special aura of interest, and a new
dimention of potential hazard. In the quantities one is
likely to collect, the hazard from radiation is unlikely to
become a problem. That does not mean, however, that
radiation can be simply ignored. In my personnal collection,
I have several specimes that give gamma radiation readings
of over 10 milliRADs per hour at a distance of 2.5 cm (1
inch). One gives a reading of nearly 10 milliRADs at 30 cm
(~1 foot). The average dose of radiation for the general
public within the United States is 150 milliRADs. These
specimens can expose one, at least to a localized area, to a
year's worth of radiation in a mater of hours.
As veterans of several nations have been discovering, the
depleted Uranium Oxide, chemically identical to Uraninite,
is not as readily eliminated from the body as was once
thought. It can cause heath problems that persist through
one's life and defy medical treatment. The long term effect
of the radiation from a particle of Uranium Oxide embedded
within one's body can cause a localized increased risk of
cancer in a lifetime. Uranium Oxide is just starting to be
understood medically. Thorium has even less know about it.
To compound this, Uranium and Thorium are both heavy
metals, and thus toxic. The soluble salts, while relatively
quickly eliminated from the body, will cause damage to a
wide range of organs within the body. Fortunately, they do
not get deposited in the bones, some of their daughters,
from radioactive decay, are. Radium, which is both very
radioactive and present in significant quantities in natural
uranium minerals, is deposited in bones. Radon gas, a more
distant granddaughter, last for only days, making it
extremely radioactive. Its decay product, lead, can collect
in the lungs and cause toxicity problems.
In some very rich Uranium mines, Radon gas and radiation
have cause the mine to close. There have also been reports
of Radon accumulating to the point that air is displaced,
and radiation levels are potentially leathal after several
weeks of working the mine. Thus, collecting inside an old
Uranium mine presents dangers beyong just simple collapse or
methane gas deposits. Add in that many are located in very
remote area accessable for limited times each year, such as
the deposits in northern Canada, and the hazards are beyond
even the advanced collector.
Basic Handling Precautions
Collecting Uranium and Thorium minerals can be safe if a
few basic precautions are taken, beyond those taken for any
other natural mineral.
Handle Uranium and Thorium minerals no more than is
necessary to prepare and sudy them.
Wash your hands after handling a radioactive
specimen to prevent ingesting radioactive particles.
Using latex or plastic gloves may be a wise precaution
with very crumbly specimens, such as pitchblend in
sandstone.
Keep children, pets and uninformed adults away from
specimens unless closely supervised. Not only might they
forget to washtheir hands afterward, and ingest
radioactive particles, they may may damage a specimen
that is rarer than gem diamonds.
Use damp, disposable wipes to clean up the areas
where the specimens are kept or worked upon. This will
keep down the levels of radioactive dust from specimens
and lead released by the decay of Radon.
Keep specimens in a secure, well ventilated area.
Ventilation should be to the outside, and not to other
inhabited areas, including the central heating and air
conditioning system. Radon gas and radioactive dust can
become a problem if the specimen is kept closed up in a
box, closet or similar location.
Do not keep or work on specimens in an area where
you, or others, prepare or eat food or drinks, sleep, or
reside for any significant length of time.
While radiations levels can be significant for some
specimens, sheilding will seldom be needed for a
personnal collection. When the background radiation
count at 3 meters from the collection rises to double
the background count prior to the import of the
collection, the use of lead foil on the walls and
cabinets where the specimens are kept should be
considered.
The Future of Collecting Uranium and
Thorium Minerals
While some of these precautions may seem excessive, they
are only the most basic precautions needed for the safe
collection and study of Uranium and Thorium minerals. It
does not cover the safe, and legal, transport of these
minerals. While the enforcement of these laws and
regulations has been lax in the past, the recent interest by
those who would do harm to the public has tightened the
enforcement of the laws. While you may get away with
shipping a highly radioactive specimen of Becquerelite
through the mail, you are endangering not only yourself and
the shipping personnel, but other collectors who will face
stiffers requirements due to your foolishness.
There is also the possibility that collecting radioactive
minerals may be restricted or prohibited if a few people
abuse the system today. There is already a push on in many
places around the world to control all radioactive material,
including minerals. Thorium, because of its use in breeder
reactors and convertability to 233Uranium, which
is as usable as 239Plutonium in nuclear weapons,
is likely to become an I.A.E.A. controlled substance within
the not too distant future.
