/r/Radioactive_Rocks

Photograph via snooOG

"Hotspot" for collectors of radioactive minerals to discuss and share this part of the rockhounding hobby. Post pictures to show off your collection, or ask a question about Uranium minerals here.

"Hotspot" for collectors of radioactive rocks and minerals. Post pictures to show off your collection, or ask a question here.

•WARNING• Radioactivity can cause life-threatening health problems in humans including various cancers, so always treat specimens with respect. Educate yourself on expected hazards, including ionizing radiation, heavy metals, and Radon gas. Take appropriate steps to mitigate your risk from these dangers.

For basic safety, you should: minimize specimen handling, wash hands after touching, keep out of reach of children, avoid exposure to women who may be pregnant, label potentially hazardous specimens clearly, and consider storing under glass or in a well-ventilated area away from where people spend significant amounts of time. Further safety info here.

Know your government's laws regarding possession of radioactive materials. Only collect safely, legally, and ethically.

Further resources for Rockhounds:

"Here Be Dragons" (New here? Read this!)

/r/Toxic_Rocks (Sister Sub)

"Which Geiger Counter"? (Mod Opinion)

Mindat.org (Comprehensive Info)

Webmineral.com (What's Radioactivity?)

/r/FluorescentMinerals (Glowing Rocks)

/r/Minerals (Collecting)

/r/Rockhounds (Field Collecting)

/r/WhatsThisRock (ID Help)

/r/Radiation (All Things Nuclear)

/r/Radioactive_Rocks

20,292 Subscribers

48

Metatorbernite from Musonoi Mine, Congo

I bought this at the Tucson gem show in 2023. It’s not the most showy metatorbernite in the world, but I think it’s pretty nice!

8 Comments
2024/12/01
10:46 UTC

17

Black Friday sales?

Anybody know any good black friday sales? Preferably on equipment. I am located in the US. Last year I was able to grab an SBT-11a for $35 which was a steal IMO.

2 Comments
2024/11/29
18:29 UTC

93

Hot from Příbram

This is kinda "semi-hot" specimen, but I would like to share it anyway. These accicular crystals are antimonselite famous Příbram deposit, extremly rare selenium mineral, naturaly occuring with other selenides and uraninite, which helped to find it - original rock was pretty hot, there was thick uraninite vein. Selenides are group of uncommon minerals, often asociated with uraninite in vein-type uranium deposits. Antimonselite has been described from only a few deposits in the world, Příbram being the only one in the world to provide several aesthetically pleasing specimens that are clearly visible to the eye, this one is among the best found. FOV 13 mm https://www.mindat.org/photo-1376601.html

8 Comments
2024/11/28
18:34 UTC

11

Serious newbie looking for equipment

Hey yall, so I'm an avid rockhounder, and I'm interested in being able to identify radioactive rocks out and about, but I havent actively looked for radioactive rocks other than when I happen to be in a location that happens to have them. I'm pretty unsure about all the gear. Talk on this forum mentions different levels of equipment, but at some level, UV lights, geiger counters, radiacodes, scintillators—it's all greek to me. Would yall be so kind as to explain to me what types of radioactivity prospecting equipment exists, what they're used for, and what levels of equipment provide different capabilities? I initially, I'm okay with just CPM, but soon enough I'll want to be able to see which types of radiation are being emitted and how much. Eventually, I will want to be able to differentiate between, say, thorium and uranium minerals. Thanks~

22 Comments
2024/11/28
02:31 UTC

23

Do minerals from the Oklo mine in Gabon with naturally depleted U-235 ever turn up?

A natural, water-moderated nuclear reactor ran there for hundreds of thousands of years, 1.7 billion years ago, when the average percentage of U-235 in Uranium was 3.1%, compared to its current value of 0.72%. Mineral samples from the region of the mine where the reactor was running can have U-235 percentages as low as 0.44%. The mine is abandoned from a commercial perspective, but for radioactive mineral collectors, it would be cool to be able to get specimens with naturally depleted U-235 levels. They also have unusual isotopic abundances of Nd and Ru. Does anyone know if uranium ore minerals from this mine ever come on the market?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor

8 Comments
2024/11/27
00:41 UTC

20

Happy 20k(cpm), and Happy Holidays! [Lounge Post]

Somehow 20,000 people who both love rocks and the clickety-click of the Geiger counter have converged upon this sub.

We appreciate all y'all's contributions to keep this sub an awesome place (both in terms of content and vibe), and look forward to seeing more /r/Radioactive_Rocks in the future. Or -- if you feel your photography has improved -- feel free to revisit old favorites.

Free-for-all lounge post, but kindly be respectful and stay approximately on topic.

--NSRE

6 Comments
2024/11/27
00:36 UTC

55

Euxenite or samarskite from Dollar Bill near Mescal, Arizona

Went to dollar bill yesterday with a buddy and we found a lot of these crystals. These are probably the largest and hot as hell. Each measures > 100K with my pancake. We also found garnet and ilmenite.

We were both using gammadogs to find these. He was using one of his standard dogs and I was using a max.

4 Comments
2024/11/26
02:02 UTC

1

Can anyone help me identify this rock?Its also extremely heavy,tbh it shouldn't be this heavy...there's also red dusty looking stuff,along with black sparkly fuzzy stuff

1 Comment
2024/11/21
10:13 UTC

125

Uraninite, Chalcopyrite, Petrified Wood in Sandstone White Canyon #1 Mine, Utah

8 Comments
2024/11/17
19:31 UTC

5

Understanding a GM tube datasheet

I'm looking at a SI-3BG GM tube and I'm trying to use the data available to calculate the conversion factor from CPM to uSv/h, but I'm realizing that I don't understand most of the info in the dosimetry section of the data available. I'm just wanting to learn how these things work and would appreciate any help you can provide.

Please see info below:

Dosimetric characteristics of products counters SI3BG:

  • counting rate (N) at 3.6 μR/h – from 48 imp/min to 72 imp/min
  • dose rate (P) – 300 r/h
  • maximum dose rate (Pmax), short-term – 900 r/h

Also just to easy any worry for my safety: I'm not working with any radiation and just want to build my own dosimeter for fun, so there is no danger involved with my lack of knowlege.

5 Comments
2024/11/16
17:32 UTC

97

Voglite, Liebigite, Uraninite on/in Sandstone White Canyon #1 Mine, Utah

12 Comments
2024/11/15
21:44 UTC

378

Torbernite from Musonoi, DR Congo (Zaire)

I am still scared of this guy lol

28 Comments
2024/11/13
10:55 UTC

42

Rules regarding the collection of uranium ore from abandoned mines on BLM?

I explore abandoned mines as a hobby and recently started posting video of my adventures on YouTube (Yes I am well aware of the risks involved). Anyways, I offered the possibilty of selling ore that I came across and I had a guy completely freak out and threatening to report me to every agency involved with mines and radioactive materials. He claims that the AEA forbids rockhounding uranium ore, especially from within the mines as well as selling it. Is any of that even true? Because my understanding and everyone else's that I've asked is that their main concern is institutions and facilities that work with the stuff, not small time hobbyists. Seems like there are a lot of people collecting and selling ore and no one's bothering them.

23 Comments
2024/11/13
03:06 UTC

8 Comments
2024/11/11
06:32 UTC

13

Storing autunite

Hey there! Rookie here :) I acquired my first radioactive rock today: a 5x5 cm² (2x2 inch² for the non metric users) piece of autunite. I was wondering how I can store it safely. At the moment, I store it in a plastic container. I got a question: can I store it safely in my bedroom? If so, how? My main concern is the radiation. Furthermore, is with this size of a sample radon an issue?

7 Comments
2024/11/10
22:15 UTC

4

Recently, I have been researching information about the mineral pollucite, and I found on a website that it is radioactive. Why is this?

8 Comments
2024/11/10
12:15 UTC

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