More info:
Radon is one of the 25 elements that have yet to be observed in a crystal structure. It is dangerous to humans as it has been linked to lung cancer amongst miners, particularly in uranium mines. This has led to strict regulations for radon exposure and ventilation in mines. It naturally occurs in rocks like granite, which is an igneous rock mostly made of quartz and feldspar. Feldspar makes up about 41% of the Earth’s continental crust by weight, and is used in ceramics and glassmaking. The Curiosity Rover identified a rock with a high feldspar content on Mars in October 2012!
More info about the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT) in crystals project:
This project (#IYPTCrystals) is part of the International Year of the Periodic Table celebration (#IYPT2019), read more about the project here. You can follow us on social media using #IYPTCrystals and learn more about the wonders of crystals by following the CCDC on Twitter @ccdc_cambridge on Facebook ccdc.cambridge, on Instagram ccdc_cambridge or on YouTube CCDCCambridge.
If you want to find out more about some of the terms and concepts we have a Frequently Asked Questions Page.