![]() ![]() BTW, the most unstable elements are radioactive. So, you definitely want to take that into account. Some people drink out of aluminum cans, that’s another metal I wouldn’t want to ingest, so I am not going to get into a debate about that.īut some minerals are more toxic than others & are more molecularly unstable than others meaning that they can throw off particles of atoms which could easily be ingested, inhaled or absorbed through our pores. Some people cook with copper pots & I’m not going to get into a debate about that. You know pennies are made of copper and you know it’s not something you want to stick in your mouth, not something you want to swallow. ![]() We have huge amounts of iron inside of us. So, yes, you may have lead, you may have mercury, but not very large amounts like we have of iron. Some chemists have proposed that we have everything within us that is on the periodic table. Now, we all have small incremental amounts of these toxic elements in our bodies. In geology, we call this process pseudo-morphing. But the asbestos is no longer actually there. Reason is that the asbestos fibers that were originally in Tiger’s Eye have actually been replaced by silica (quartz)… just the same as what happens with petrified wood! So the invading quartz ends up taking on the form of the fibrous asbestos is what gives Tiger’s Eye that gorgeous silky luster we call “chatoyancy” (from French for “cat’s eye,”). Is that safe? Actually, according to the editor of Rock and Gem magazine, Bob Jones, yes, it is safe to wear. GEO-GEEK FACTOID: Well, what about Tiger’s Eye? It’s often used in jewelry yet it contains asbestos. Although an excess of copper in our system can be toxic, a certain trace amount is necessary for normal healthy functioning. So, don’t think you’re doomed b/c you handled something that contains copper. However, we all hold pennies, right? *ahem, I even swallowed a few pennies as a kid* These are elements you don’t want to swallow. Copper is another element considered toxic in certain quantities if ingested. Some people get nervous about working with Malachite too because Malachite has copper in it. I certainly wouldn’t recommend putting any known-toxic mineral in your mouth… because it is toxic. I still WASH MY HANDS!Ĭabochon of cinnabar in milky quartz matrix. Some say if you work with a tumbled piece it’s less friable (brittle) & therefore less harmful. So, yes, after handling Cinnabar I would wash my hands! And that’s one of the side effects… besides the fact that it can kill you! High levels of mercury exposure can be harmful to your brain, heart, kidneys, lungs & immune system. After working with it for some time they became loopy. This is where the term “ Madhatter” came from…because hat makers used to use mercury to help with making the hats for the felting process. Now, you may know that mercury is a toxic element…and it’s been known to make people go crazy. So, mercury that can easily flake off… hmmm, something to keep in mind. That means it’s relatively soft, meaning it can easily be scratched & can flake off. The proper mineral name for Cinnabar happens to be Mercury Sulfide.Ĭinnabar has a Mohs hardness (that’s a term we use to determine how hard it is) of 2 to 2.5. If Cinnabar is a toxic crystal why do crystal healing books recommend it?įor that matter, why would anyone recommend working with ANY toxic crystals at all?Ĭinnabar are the red crystals in the photo below. Here’s a really good question I was recently asked by a student: Well, I really cannot say why some recommendations don’t give at least a fair warning, but I suppose that most who are recommending the crystals assume the danger is low. If Toxic Crystals Are So Bad, Why Do Some Recommend Them?
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