CARNOTITE NATURAL URANIUM ROCK Radiation level: 25,000 CPM; Found at Uravan Colorado uranium field June 2021 CARNOTITE is a common uranium mineral. Typically, it has scattered colors of yellow and black on its rock surface. Uravan CO is the USA's oldest uranium field. During the early 1900s, uranium and vanadium were mined there; by the 1920s, Polish/ French scientist Marie Curie visited Uravan to teach miners how to find Radium mineral for her lab at the University of Paris, France. Radiation levels above 40,000. CPM are considered high levels, with regard to comparison with other natural radioactive rocks. This rock, with 25,000. CPM response, is middle level. (NOTE that applications in industrial, medical, or military uses have far higher radiation levels than those found in natural uranium rocks.) CARNOTITE sometimes has crusty flakes, imbedded in sandstone. This is one of the very common uranium minerals found at Jurassic Canyon NM. ALPHA RADIATION is the radiation type that is most easily blocked by barriers, even by clothing, paper, or the skin. Alpha radiation is the radiation type that is most commonly emitted by natural uranium. ( By contrast, Gamma ray radiation, is the "Macho" type of radiation. Gamma rays penetrate all barriers, even metals such as lead. Gamma rays make space travel difficult, because cosmic rays in outer space are mainly gamma radiation. Cosmic radiation at the ISS space station is 240 times more intense than natural surface radiation on Earth; At the surface of red planet Mars, the radiation is 730 times more intense than Earth's surface radiation. The Gamma Ray Burst of October 2022, a tightly focused narrow beam, traveled 2.4 billion light years to Earth; it was the most intense energy event since the early "Big Bang." That GRB interrupted low- frequency AM- radio on Earth for four days.) Stephen Buggie, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Psychology Univ. of New Mexico, Gallup Gallup NM 87301-6979