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The 10 Most Toxic Minerals


1. Cinnabar- Cinnabar is the main ore of mercury, the most toxic mineral on Earth. The name itself means dragons bloods. Form near volcanoes and sulphur deposits, the bright red colour signals danger.
                  Copyright: Courtesy of Ted Boente; John H. Gerard/Encyclopedia Brittanica, Inc. 

2. Orpiment- Originate from Latin auri, "golden"; pigmentum, "paint". Composed of Arsenic Sulfide, the lethal and chemically reactive orpiment crystals are found growing below the surface in mineral formations, often near hydrothermal veins. It may crumble into dangerous powder when exposed to light. Holding crystals in your hands may release carcinogenic, neurotoxic powder.
  Copyright: U.S. Geological Survey

3. Stibnite- Antimony Sulphide, the principle ore of antimony. It is used in manufacturing of  matches and fireworks. Mines near Oksaku, Japan produce the best stibnite crystals in the world. 
                                                           Copyright: Manamana/shutterstock.com

4. Torbernite- It is a Hydrated copper uranate phosphate mineral, one of the principal uranium-bearing minerals. Also known as mineral from hell. The prism shaped green crystals of torbernite are formed by complex reaction between phosphorus, copper, water and uranium. Found as secondary deposits in granitic rocks.
                                                          Copyright:Cornwall, England B.M. Shaub

5. Arsenopyrite- It is also called Mispickel, an iron sulfoarsenide mineral, most common ore of arsenic. Most commonly found in ore veins that are formed at high temperatures. Heating or any other way of altering Arsenopyrite results in release of lethally toxic, corrosive, carcinogenic vapours characterized by strong garlic odor.
                                                                      Copyright: Eurico Zimbres

6. Asbestos- Asbestos conducts full-scale mechanical sabotage on the human lung. Asbestos being heat and flame resistant, has long been used for insulation and protective purposes. Both mining operations and natural aging and abrasion of asbestos insulation result in thousands of tiny, fibrous crystals that can become airborne and lodged in the human lung.  
                                                                       Copyright: John Hayman

7. Galena- Also known as lead glance, chief ore mineral of lead. The sulfur content of galena makes it extraordinarily brittle and reactive to chemical treatment. Galena has a cubic structure, and if hit with a hammer, the crystal will shatter into multiple smaller replicas of its original shape.
                                                                              Copyright: PAR

8. Hutchinsonite- It is a hazardous but dramatic mixture of thallium, lead and arsenic form a lethal mineral cocktail. Signs of chronic thallium exposure through skin contact include loss of hair, serious illness and in many cases death. Hutchinsonite was named after John Hutchinson, a prominent mineralogists from Cambridge University. The mineral is found in mountanious region of Europe.
                                                                    Copyright: Geologypage.com

9. Chalcanthite- It is a widespread sulphate mineral, naturally occuring hydrated copper sulphate.   
                                                                           Copyright: Baryonyx

10. Coloradoite- It is a crystalline mineral originating in magma veins. This mineral is a mercury telluride compund formed when murcury fuses with tellurium, an extremely toxic and rare metal.  
                            Copyright: Rex Mine. Gold Hill Mining District,Boulder Co., Colorado, USA

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