Asbestos from anywhere in the world is toxic when inhaled. The term worth noting is “Friable”. When asbestos is friable, it will look like tufts of hair coming off the rock. Specimens should be kept in a sealed container. When mining near asbestos, there are supposed to be signs in place that warm people of the hazards. Down by the benitoite mines in California, there are asbestos mines that can be very dangerous for the surrounding areas when the wind picks up and spreads it away from the mining vicinity.

There are many misconceptions about tigers eye on the internet because it, like many other rocks, are in the fibrous amphibole family- and so too is asbestos. The misinformation about tigers eye being hazardous is because the fibers have been silicated, and bound within the stone. They are not fuzzy and loose on the surface- which is why the term friable is so valuable to know.

Bumble Bee Jasper is not a true jasper, but a mixture of calcite, sulfur-bearing minerals, manganese oxides, and arsenic-bearing compounds, including realgar and orpiment. The danger comes from arsenic-containing dust, not from the stone being intact or on display.

When cut, ground, or polished, Bumble Bee Jasper can release fine particulate that contains arsenic. This makes it unsafe to work without proper ventilation and protective equipment. Casual handling of finished pieces is generally low risk, but hands should always be washed afterward. Tumbling, dry cutting, or sanding without adequate controls is strongly discouraged.

Despite its popularity in lapidary and jewelry, Bumble Bee Jasper carries a higher risk than most decorative stones due to its mixed and unstable chemistry.

Chrysotile is a true asbestos mineral and is the most common form of asbestos used historically in commercial applications. Unlike massive or decorative serpentine, chrysotile forms fibrous, flexible, hair-like structures that are easily released into the air when disturbed. These fibers are hazardous when inhaled and are associated with serious respiratory diseases, including asbestosis and mesothelioma.

The key term is friable. When chrysotile is friable, fibers separate easily and become airborne with minimal disturbance. Because of this, chrysotile should not be handled casually, cut, crushed, or stored unsealed. Specimens should be kept in sealed containers, and exposure should be avoided entirely. This is not a mineral where washing hands afterward is sufficient protection.

Cinnabar is a mercury sulfide mineral and the primary ore of mercury. While mercury is widely known as toxic, cinnabar in solid crystal form is relatively stable. The danger arises when cinnabar is ground, cut, heated, or otherwise disturbed, which can release mercury-bearing dust or, in extreme cases, mercury vapor.

Cinnabar should not be cut, polished, tumbled, or heated. Casual handling of intact specimens is generally low risk, but hands should always be washed afterward. Grinding or breaking cinnabar significantly increases exposure risk and should be avoided entirely. Like other mercury-bearing materials, prolonged or repeated exposure increases risk over time rather than causing immediate effects.

Cobaltite is an arsenic-bearing sulfide mineral composed of cobalt, arsenic, and sulfur. The primary hazard comes from arsenic and cobalt exposure through dust or particulate, not from brief visual contact or intact specimens. When disturbed, crushed, or ground, cobaltite can release fine particles that pose inhalation and ingestion risks.

Cobaltite should not be cut, polished, or tumbled. Casual handling of solid specimens is generally low risk, but hands should always be washed afterward. Repeated handling, friction, or working the material without proper ventilation increases exposure risk. As with other arsenic-bearing minerals, the danger is cumulative rather than immediate.

Covellite is a copper sulfide mineral. While copper is an essential element in small amounts, copper compounds can be toxic at higher exposures. The primary risk with covellite comes from dust or particulate inhalation and ingestion, particularly if the mineral is cut, ground, or otherwise mechanically disturbed.

Intact covellite specimens are generally low risk to handle briefly, but working the material is discouraged. Cutting, polishing, or dry grinding can release copper- and sulfur-bearing dust, which may cause irritation or toxicity if inhaled or ingested. Hands should always be washed after handling, and covellite should not be processed without proper ventilation and protective equipment.

Galena is a lead ore (a heavy metal). With that being said, it is not refined. And despite containing lead, it is actually very safe. Much of the worlds plumbing still uses lead, which means water is rushing down and taking particulate with it as it flows. We then ingest that particulate. However, with a rock, where it is also bound with sulphur and only going to be handled momentarily at times… it will have little to no effect. There are no needs for gloves, or safety procedures other than washing your hands after.

Orpiment is an arsenic sulfide mineral and, like realgar, contains arsenic, a known toxin. The primary danger comes from dust and particulate exposure, not brief visual contact. Orpiment is very soft and can easily shed fine powder when handled, rubbed, or disturbed, making inhalation and accidental ingestion a realistic risk.

Because of its softness, orpiment should never be cut, polished, tumbled, or handled frequently. Gloves are recommended if contact is necessary, and hands should always be washed afterward. Specimens should be kept sealed or behind glass to prevent dust release. The bright yellow color can be misleading, as the mineral’s appearance gives no indication of its toxicity.

Realgar is an arsenic sulfide mineral. Arsenic is toxic, and unlike some heavy-metal minerals that remain stable, realgar breaks down over time when exposed to light. This breakdown produces a yellow alteration product that can further degrade into fine arsenic-bearing powder. That powder presents a real inhalation and ingestion risk.

Realgar should not be cut, polished, tumbled, or stored loose. Handling should be minimized, gloves are recommended, and hands should always be washed after contact. Specimens are best kept sealed or behind glass. The danger does not come from simply seeing or briefly touching the crystal — it comes from dust, friction, and long-term exposure as the mineral degrades.

Silver itself is not highly toxic, but silver ore is rarely pure silver. It is commonly bound with sulfur and frequently associated with other metals such as lead, arsenic, antimony, or mercury depending on the deposit. The primary risk comes from dust and particulate inhalation when silver-bearing rock is cut, crushed, or ground, not from casual handling.

Intact specimens are generally low risk to handle briefly, but working silver ore without proper ventilation is discouraged. Hands should always be washed after handling, especially when the ore is dark, sooty, or friable. The danger varies widely depending on what other metals are present in the ore, which is why silver ore should be treated as potentially hazardous rather than benign.