Is your crystal Toxic? (R's)

Img: Realgar

There are many crystals that are toxic when put in water, and many that are toxic out of water. Use this list to see if yours is and how you should store it if it is.

As the list is too long for one blog post, this is the part that covers the "'Rs".

For the rest of the alphabet, please see the other blog posts under the 'Toxic Crystals' Category.

It is always advised to avoid making potions with gems that are toxic (even if only by a little bit) and should also avoid placing gems inside the body.

Many toxic gems listed include aluminium and a few other elements which are only toxic in exceptionally high doses.

Once polished, stones are generally fine to wear and use but you should be careful if you are the one cutting and polishing them (wear a mask to avoid breathing in particles) and be careful if they should break.

The last 2 columns are completed to the best of my knowledge - I have not heard of many of these stones and some have surprised me but generally speaking, if it's toxic and rough, put it in a box, if it's polished then it has a layer of protection on it so should be safe. It's always best to err on the side of caution though.

Name	Toxicity Risk	What makes it toxic	What should I do with it if it's rough?	Is it ok polished?
Realgar	High	Arsenic, can react dangerously if accidentally swallowed	Keep in a specimen box away from little fingers, pets and damp areas
Rhodochrosite	Low	Manganese, soluble in acids	Be wary of inhaling powder, keep out of reach of pets, little fingers and away from damp areas	Fine to handle do not consume
Rhodolite	None Known		Fine to handle do not consume	Fine to handle do not consume
Rhodonite	Low	Manganese, soluble in acids	Be wary of inhaling powder, keep out of reach of pets, little fingers and away from damp areas	Fine to handle, do not consume
Rose Quartz	High	Silicosis	Fine to handle do not consume	Fine to handle do not consume
Rubellite Tourmaline	None Known		Fine to handle, do not consume	Fine to handle, do not consume
Ruby	None Known		Fine to handle, do not consume	Fine to handle, do not consume
Rutile	None Known		Fine to handle, do not consume	Fine to handle, do not consume

*list is taken from gemsociety.org with 2 columns added on for your peace of mind

Source: gemsociety.org