This question came to the Museum via feedback@dmns.org:I have a question about Tiger Eye if there is a geologist who could confirm some information I found on the internet. I charged a Tiger Eye (polished) and used sea salt. I had it in a glass bowl for over a week. The water did evaporate and salt was clustered all over the stone. I heard that Tiger Eye contains asbestos, and I wanted to know if it’s possible for the sea salt to damage the stone and cause a health hazard? I found the following article below on the internet and I was wondering since Tiger Eye is a pseudomorph if there is any danger. Tiger Eye is a common stone given to children and I would think some kids may even try to crack open the stone. Thank you in advance for your time.http://www.minerals-n-more.com/Tiger_Eye_Info.html
Here's an answer from Ian Miller, PhD:
Dear Concerned Citizen,Thank you for your inquiry about tiger's eye. You're right that since tiger's eye is a quartz psuedomorph after crocidolite (asbestos) that it does not pose any sort of health hazard from asbestos. In other words, in tigers eye, all the asbestos is gone, completely being replaced in the formation of the final mineral that we all know and love. In cat's eye and hawk's or falcon's eye, two other similar varieties, there still is some of the asbestos remaining. In these more rare varieties, however, the asbestos is locked up into the crystal structure of the quartz. Even if a specimen of one of these varieties is broken, the amount of asbestos released would probably be extremely small and a one time incident. Health hazards from asbestos arise from chronic exposure.As far as the sea salt goes in your experiment, the sodium and chlorine will not be able to penetrate the quartz crystal structure and so should have no affect on the tiger's eye.Thanks for you question!