Unsafe kinds of Rocks?

[curious kat]

Found some pretty yellow rocks and think that they may be dangerous ? Help....maybe lol

 

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[Bajahunter]

At first I was going to say something with a high sulfer content but you would be able to smell it.
Two other minerals look similar, both bad.
Carnotite and Orpiment.
Carnotite is a uranium ore, and found all over the south west, and Orpiment is arsnic based.
They are both soft enough to scratch with a fingernail.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Might also just be limonite. Streak test!

 

[curious kat]

When I tried to look it up, before posting & after my finger fell off (kidding), seemed like Carnotite & soft. And looks more like it than the other two that you guys mentioned........so...what to do with it? Don't know that I want to do the streak test, that would mean touching again lol. Would the streak test tell the difference? I think it streaks yellow, just like it's color. Thanks Baja & EU....how'd you like some nice yellow rocks...they're free...

 

[old digger]

From what I read, uranium ores under a black light glow, but I don't remember what color.

 

[Bajahunter]

Curious kat
Might need to find someone with a gieger counter.
My dad was an earth science teacher at a junior high in Boulder. On day he had a parent come in that worked as a geologist for the gyvernment. He brought a gieger counter and a "hot" rock in a lead box. Problem was the gieger counter did not stop clicking when the rock was back in the box. They found what the geologist described, as the most radioactive rock he had ever come across, in the rock collection in the science teachers work room. It promptly got dumped in the lead box with the wimpy ore sample.
All three science teachers that shared that prep space died from cancer. One died within two years, another lasted abot five.My dad was the last to go about 15-20 years after the rock was removed so it is hard to say thats what caused his cancer.
If it is carnotite it's most likely not to hot....unless you have a lot of two headed animals in your area.

 

[curious kat]

What a story Baja! So sorry about your dad & the other teachers I'm pretty sure it's carnotite so will just keep them outside where they've been...don't fear death anyway so...no prob. Thanks for the information and again, sorry........ps lol on the two-headed thing!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Remember that link I sent you? Save it, use it for reference.

Streak colors

Limonite usually produces a brownish streak.

 

[curious kat]

Will do EU.....will test it, but use gloves.....if that even helps? Thank you again