10/23/2026
💎 MINERALS WE DON’T SELL — PART 1
ORPIMENT: BEAUTIFUL, BUT NOT FOR OUR SHELVES ⚠️
Toby saw the golden-yellow crystals and thought he’d found treasure.
Then came the chemistry lesson. 👻😅
Meet ORPIMENT—a striking yellow-to-orange mineral made of arsenic and sulfur.
Its chemical formula? As₂S₃.
For centuries, artists used it to create brilliant yellow pigments. Beautiful color. A less beautiful ingredient: arsenic.
⚠️ WHAT’S THE CONCERN?
Orpiment is soft and can shed flakes or dust. Swallowing that material or breathing in its dust can expose you to harmful arsenic compounds.
That doesn’t mean standing beside a specimen causes instant poisoning. The condition of the mineral and the way it is handled matter.
It does mean this is NOT a stone for pocket carrying, children’s treasure bags, jewelry-making projects, or “crystal water.”
Never grind, drill, heat, or put it in drinking water.
Experienced collectors and museums can keep specimens with appropriate precautions. At Gem Royale, we choose not to stock it.
And one important distinction:
Orpiment’s concern is its arsenic content—not radioactivity. Toby turning green was strictly his imagination. 😂
Natural doesn’t automatically mean harmless.
Knowing your minerals is part of loving them.
Next in the series: TORBERNITE—the green specimen that gave Toby another reason to reconsider his treasure hunt.
👑 GEM ROYALE
Born of Earth, Made for You.
📍 8052 Main Street, Ellicott City, MD 21043
🌐 www.gem-royale.com
