Nuclear Weapons Material

[Jim Dixon]

In message <199408251633.JAA16087 at netcom4.netcom.com> Mike Duvos writes:
> Uranium is not particularly radioactive, being a long lived alpha
> emitter.  This is true of plutonium and some other fissionable
> materials as well.  I can handle clad uranium or plutonium
> reactor or bomb components in complete safety with no protective
> clothing needed. The only hazard is from ingestion of the
> material, or from accumulation of decay products such as radon in
> a badly ventilated area.
> 
> Workers in nuclear fuel fabrication facilities have been known to
> use small disks of plutonium sintered into a ceramic base as
> poker chips.

Is this true?  I mean, do you know it from personal experience?
I was told by what I considered to be reliable sources that plutonium
was extremely toxic.  Upon reflection, I am sure that this is the
word that was used: toxic, not radioactive.

By "clad", do you mean coated in lead?
--
Jim Dixon