A sample of Beryllium metal in the form of a 12.3g neutron moderator rod.  Purity is 99.9%.  This very unique piece was removed from a Soviet era nuclear reactor in the 1980's.  This rod contains no radioactive material and is completely nonradioactive.   This would have been used as a control rod to slow down fast neutrons within the reactor core.  One end is partially threaded inside which would have threaded onto the control rod assembly.  The surface does have pitting which is typical of used internal nuclear reactor components.