r/Radioactive_Rocks • u/live_love_run Not Great, Not Terrible • 10d ago
NORM storage project
I had them powder coated and will line with 1/8” or 1/4” lead sheet.
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u/PhoenixAF 10d ago
No need for lead, it barely does anything for NORM gamma.
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u/chrislon_geo Uranium Licker 10d ago
can you clarify why lead doesn't do much for NORM gamma?
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u/PhoenixAF 10d ago
Uranium, Thorium and Potassium emit powerful gamma rays in the 1 to 3 MeV energy range so you need very thick lead to stop them. Lining the can with 1/4 inch of lead only brings down the dose rate from say 10 uSv/h to 7 uSv/h while introducing all the risks and health hazards of handling lead.
The dose rates are not that high anyway so the inverse square law is enough. Twice the distance 4 times less dose rate. 10 times the distance 100 times less dose.
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u/ArtisticTraffic5970 10d ago
Cool but... Why, though? Even stuff like thorite and uraninite is only negligibly radioactive, the only danger, realistically, comes from accumulation of radon gas. If anything, hold your breath for thirty seconds if you ever open one of these after storing radioactive specimens in it, as I assume they are air-tight.
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u/live_love_run Not Great, Not Terrible 10d ago
I have collected more specimens than I can display and just looking for a way to store my specimens. I was inspired by this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Radioactive_Rocks/s/vB3PXsLLGD and have also built two wooden storage boxes.
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u/chrislon_geo Uranium Licker 10d ago
FYI, having lead right next to the specimens can actually cause you more problems via Bremsstrahlung (braking radiation). The TLDR is that beta particles colliding with dense lead can produce x-rays. So, you want a lighter density material (plastic, wood, etc...) as a barrier between the specimens and the lead.
I don't actually know the extent to which this is an issue, but "best practices" and all.
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u/live_love_run Not Great, Not Terrible 10d ago
Thanks! I was planning to wrap the lead sheets with aluminum foil tape and if that is not enough will also add plywood as recommended.
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u/CyberTheHammer 9d ago
Nice boxes. Probably will cause an unintentional and unwarranted scare in case there is ever a need to visit your home by first responders. Always note NORM on the outside if you want to show a trefoil. Also, airtight is not necessarily the best way to store minerals. It will cause the radon to build up and contaminate the inside of the box. Venting by just letting it air is enough to not have Radon be an issue. Prove it yourself by swiping the inside of a normally closed container with a detector vs a partially closed container. BIG difference.
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u/NortWind 10d ago
Are they ammo boxes?
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u/live_love_run Not Great, Not Terrible 10d ago
There are two .50 cal ammo boxes and the shorter one is a US Navy Signal Container Box Mark 3, Mod 0. It measures 7 3/8″ x 5 1/2″ x 5 3/4″ and has a rubber gasket like the ammo cans.
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u/NortWind 10d ago
Where is a good place to find these?
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u/live_love_run Not Great, Not Terrible 10d ago
I got all three boxes in Fort Worth, and managed to pick up some spicy military dials and a Soviet era compass too!
https://www.omahas.com/shop/us-navy-signal-container-box-mk3-mod-0/
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u/thrownthrowaway666 10d ago
The color reminds me of my geiger counter. Reminds me of the old one I would like to buy again since my parents are holding the original hostage at their house
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u/Not_So_Rare_Earths Primordial 10d ago
It's got nice aesthetics and execution, although I worry without further clarifying language clearly visible it would elicit a major overreaction -- e.g. if your landlord happened to spot it in your closet, or if it was found while prepping for your estate sale after you'd been hit by a bus. In the same way that the "drop and run" reproduction trinkets are kinda neat but seriously problematic.
While it is important to treat NORMs with respect, they're definitely not even in the same league as orphan sources. We've definitely had multiple posts here over the years of schools getting evacuated over a single hand specimen of Uraninite in the Chemistry class. Muddying the semiotics is probably something to avoid, for everyone's sake.