The stones that have surfaced as a result of the sub sea volcanic activity in the island of El Hierro are the most radioactive in the world, according to physicist Antonio Darwich of the Department of Soil Science and Geology at the University of Laguna.
The uranium concentration is in the white, inner part, of the stones that is very different chemically from the outer part, which is black in colour.
By comparing the amount of uranium and thorium, the white part shows indices of uranium that are at least six times greater than those found in any other volcanic rock in the Canary Islands, and are probably the most radioactive in the world says Darwich.
However Darwhich, who is collaborating with sientists from the Institute of Volcanology of the Canary Islands (Involcan) for this study funded by the Council for Nuclear Safety, says there are so few samples of this stone that even though they have a high concentration of uranium there is no danger because the total amounts of the radioactive element are minimal.
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