Urenium mine-Radioactive-gigercounter???

[Whitmore]

Let me explain, My dad is one of the largest rock hound dealers in the state of Wyoming and has a chance to buy a petrified log from a deceased rock dealer whom died of cancer recently.

The petrified log is 8 feet long and about 10 to 12 inches in diameter, it is petrified and was found in an underground ureanium (sp) mine and was hauled out aprox 20 years ago. this log has been sitting outside the door of a rock shop in town here and the ol boy that runs the place developed cancer 15 years ago and it finally got him GOD REST HIS SOLE, a few months back I was talking to the guy about the log and he said its radioactive and when you run a gigercounter over it , it will go nuts, so my question to you is should I steer my dad clear of this log or just have him keep a distance from it, He would like to put it in his rock garden for show and tell , he does not want to work the piece at all , he says its not very good wood. I know nothing of radioactive material and am seeking you wisedome Kevin

 

[CTabor]

Well, lets think about this the past owner got cancer who knows if the log is to blame, but why take the chance.

 

[Whitmore]

OK I guess I'm confussed so tell me does radioactivity cause cancer? and if so than why do cancer patience get radiation treatments??? Just trying to understand

 

[illflem]

Kevin, yes radioactivity does cause cancer, but I wouldn't worry about it if it's sitting outside unless your dad wants to sleep on it. I'm sure the log is low level radiation and it would take long time exposure to cause problems. Fighting cancer with radioactivity is like fighting fire with fire. The radioactivity kills healthly cells as well as cancerous ones. I guess it must work or they wouldn't use it, but every person I've known that had radiation treatments has had really bad side effects from the treatment and the cancer returned.

 

[Diesel Freak]

well, if you do find a way to survey the object... remember that if the "on contact dose rate" is less than 5 REM per year you "should" be ok.



here is something you could try..... go to the drug store and buy a roll of film. Remove the roll from the package and place the roll on the object for an hour. Then take the film in to be developed. if the resulting pictures come back black... you "should" be ok. However if the pictures come back white... . RET RID OF IT!

 

[DHatfield]

Tell you one thing is it makes the gigercounter go nuts and it is radioactive I sure would not want it in my yard as life is short enough as it is.

 

[Scot]

My suggestion would be to try to get a meter that measures gamma and beta radiation.



The "CDV" series meters (civil defense) that fire departments have should be able to give you an actual number.



Radiation obeys the inverse square law. IE Your safety increases exponentially with distance.



Alpha is the weakest. It can be stopped with a sheet of paper and only travels inches. Beta will travel a few feet. Gamma, the type used in x-rays and radiation treatment travels a long distance. Shielding with several feet of dirt or lead is required to stop gamma rays.



One of my instructers, ( for radiological monitor, radiological officer, radiological instructor) who if I remember correctly, worked on the Manhatten project said one of the things that he did to -amuse- himself was to take a sub-critical mass of uranium and bear hug it. He said it would get quite warm. When I took the class, he had to be in his 70's.



Unless the log is quite hot, or it was sitting near where people stay for long periods of time, I would not worry about it.

 

[Whitmore]

Thank's all for the replies, it's amazing the knowledge that is on this board, I am going to try and get a giger from someone and measure the darn thing, will be interesting to see what it says . May even try the film deal too.



Thanks again... ... ... ... ... . Kevin

 

[illflem]

Kevin, I'll bet your county health department can help you. There are also outfits that check for radon in homes that will advise for a minimal fee.

 

[JR2]

I work with big radioactive soruces while doing my job and I can back up what others have said. The key to avoiding radiatoin is three fold. . time, distance and shielding. In your case if you put it out in your yard and don't use if for a bench you should be fine. I can not imagin that there would be that much radiation coming from a petrified log. You could get it checked. Ask a local fire department, or if you have any oilfied service companys (Schlumberger, Halibourton... ) in your area they will have the equipment to check it.



As a side note I would love to have that log.....

 

[Diesel Freak]

Originally posted by Scot



One of my instructers, ( for radiological monitor, radiological officer, radiological instructor) who if I remember correctly, worked on the Manhatten project said one of the things that he did to -amuse- himself was to take a sub-critical mass of uranium and bear hug it. He said it would get quite warm. When I took the class, he had to be in his 70's.

You're joking. Right?

well there is nothing better than using your body as a moderator to take a subcritical mass supercritical to keep yourself warm.

 

[Scot]

Originally posted by Diesel Freak





You're joking. Right?

well there is nothing better than using your body as a moderator to take a subcritical mass supercritical to keep yourself warm.

Actually I am not kidding. He told the story as true. He was one of the upper echelon people in the Texas Health Department and was duuue to retire in the mid '90's. I can see his face but cannot remember his name.



At the time this happened, there was not a lot of knowledge about the effects of radioactivity.

 

[pnwradar]

Originally posted by Diesel Freak

You're joking. Right?

well there is nothing better than using your body as a moderator to take a subcritical mass supercritical to keep yourself warm.

They had spheres of every available element, for testing. One room that contained several of them, including the Uranium sphere, used the 8" solid gold sphere as a doorstop.



And, what's a few thermal neutrons, between friends?



-jon-

 

[Whitmore]

update- my pa bought the darn thing so I got my backhoe and loaded it up on my gooseneck trailer and hauled it over the mountain to him, we have got it placed in his rock garden with all the other pieces, we unloaded it with my dads little massey tractor which can lift 1200 lbs and guess what ,it wouldnt lift the log , i helped with a pry bar enough to get it a couple inches above the trailer and then backed the tractor up , the log is a little over 8 feet long and measures 15 inches in diameter, its a honker, I do still plan on getting it tested, we need to find a meter and I want to do the film thing too. My dad said he talked to the original owner and the guy said he sits on it alot while watching cars go by so I bet it never did him no good,I will let you all know what I found when we get it tested... ... ... ... Kevin

 

[Diesel Freak]

Originally posted by pnwradar

And, what's a few thermal neutrons, between friends?

-jon-

hehe, I have a box of prompt neutrons that I carry around for S&G's