Chinese Turquoise

GIA Laboratory has written an interesting piece on turquoise from China's Hubei Province. What makes the turquoise so intriguing is the presence of uranium inclusions. The authors state that although exposure to these levels of radiation is not considered significant, breathing dust that might be created during cutting should be avoided. I wonder how many gem cutters worldwide are aware of it.

Useful links:
www.hps.org
www.nrc.gov
www.gia.edu