TIL mica can be a hazard for curious children

Yesterday, my three-year-old saw a mica specimen on my desk. He took it and put it in his mouth. Mica splits easily into sharp, thin pieces. These could be swallowed or cause harm. I now keep all my geology samples locked up.

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3 Comments

lewis.mary7mo ago

Glad you caught that in time, it must have been a real scare. Kids get into everything so fast, you just turn around for a second. It's smart to lock up all those interesting rocks, not just the obviously dangerous ones. Even pretty minerals can have hidden risks.

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murphy.sarah7mo ago

Yikes, what hidden risks do common minerals even have?

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jordanb807mo ago

Seriously, my nephew got a hold of a pyrite sample once, the "fool's gold" stuff. It looks so harmless but it can actually create sulfuric acid if it gets damp. We found it on his windowsill where the morning dew had hit it, and the little dish was all corroded. You just don't think about a pretty rock eating through something. It was a real wake-up call about not assuming anything is safe.

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