[ RadSafe ] RE: [AMRSO] Radioactive lantern mantels

[Johnston, Thomas P.]

A few years ago, someone on this List or maybe Radsafe list, from India said he could get them locally for $ 0.25 a piece. Yes, they did contain Thorium. If this person is still out there please respond.
~Tom

From: Brunette, Jeffrey J., CHP [mailto:Brunette.Jeffrey at mayo.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 5:06 PM
To: Johnston, Thomas P.
Subject: RE: [AMRSO] Radioactive lantern mantels

Tomas,

Try http://sciencekit.com/cloud-chamber-set/p/IG0023989/.  We've provided this like to science teachers in our chapter's workshop for years and they still appear to be in business.  Mantles are $4 per.

I'll admit though that I've never tried to order from them.  I usually just head down to the camping supply section of the outdoors store and look for the mantles with the "This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer" statement in the fine print.  Hint - Look for mantles with the pink edge, not the green edge on them.  Coleman (green edge) doesn't make them anymore, but there are other manufacturers who do make them.  Someone else mentioned the Stansport vendor.  I believe they still make (or at least distribute) thorium lantern mantles as I purchased several a few years ago from the Gander Mountain outdoors store about 3 or 4 years ago.  (I've got one on my desk as I speak.  "Stansport Item No. 166" it says on the package.  However, I don't see the product available for purchase on their website.)  If I remember correctly, it cost me $1 or less for the package with 2 mantles enclosed.   Maybe that is why they don't sell them on their website.  At $1 per pair the shipping cost would exceed the cost of the product.


Jeff Brunette, CHP
Mayo Clinic
200 First Street SW
Rochester, MN 55905
(507) 266-9792
FAX (507) 284-0150
brunette.jeffrey at mayo.edu

________________________________
From: amrso-bounces at mailman.mcw.edu [mailto:amrso-bounces at mailman.mcw.edu] On Behalf Of Johnston, Thomas P.
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:13 PM
To: Academic-Medical Radiation Safety Officers listserve
Subject: [AMRSO] Radioactive lantern mantels

Hello,
Does anyone know of a reliable supplier for radioactive lantern mantles? This is a professionally-related inquiry and request.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Best regards,

Thomas Johnston
Health Physicist
NIST Center for Neutron Research
National Institute for Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1733
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
301-975-5815
thomas.johnston at nist.gov<mailto:thomas.johnston at nist.gov>