[en] Many Geology departments in Universities and many private collectors have geological samples which contain examples of Uranium and Thorium salts. Many of these are from old collections and were collected from areas where the Uranium and Thorium content of the samples is very high. Aberdeen University holds such a collection which was having to be relocated and concentrated into a small room. During measurements taken during the introduction of measures to control the radon problem arising from the samples (which was not insignificant) it also became clear that a problem existed with regard to the potential finger dose to researchers w ho were to handle these samples frequently and possibly as a whole body dose to persons who were working adjacent to the radioactive samples on some of the non active rock samples. The paper will describe the dose rates measured round a wide variety of geological specimens. As well as the geological description of these samples a gamma spectral analysis has been carried out and the principle radionuclides present identified. These dose rates have been used to calculate the doses received during exposure scenarios of a variety of persons ranging from research workers handling the sources on a daily basis to people who may be keeping samples in a display cabinet in their homes. Suggested strategies for restricting these doses have been identified. The methodology of the measurement of the dose rates will be described and the dose rates measured presented. The gamma spectral analysis of the samples against the geological type will be shown. Under the different exposure scenarios maximum finger doses of sever al tens of mSv/y are easily achievable and it would be possible to get substantial doses from samples held in a display cabinet in a private home. These doses will be presented. (authors)