# element collectors thread



## rogerxd45 (Sep 21, 2010)

well it seems like there are a few element collectors on here and i figured it would be a good idea for all of us to talk/trade
we all have extras of elements and i might have an extra that someone else needs.

right now i need
rubidium
a better palladium sample.

i have lots of extra Ti, Uranium 238 metal, selenium, boron-just to name a few, i have lots of other extras


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## turtlesteve (Sep 22, 2010)

I also collect elements, in pure samples as well as samples of minerals containing that element. I generally don't like to spend much money on them so my collection grows rather slowly. I have excess Ti, Si (wafers), Co, Nb, Hg, and Se (powder) plus all of the common transition metals. I lack pure samples of the alkali and alkaline earth metals (except Ca) as well as the group 3 & higher metals/semi-metals (except C, Al, Si, Pb, and Se) and gases, and the rare-earths (except Gd), and some of the rarer transition metals (Sc, Y, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Hf, V).

Steve


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## rogerxd45 (Sep 22, 2010)

well i have some Na and the alkaline earth metals


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## Chumbawamba (Sep 22, 2010)

One additional challenge to my collection is that I want to obtain a 1cm cube sample through my own efforts. That would tend to include extraction and refinement. The intent is to learn as much about the various elements as possible.

Aside from the obvious elements (C, Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Hg, Pb, etc.) I currently have pure samples of:

Si, Ti, Ni, Mo, Te, Ta, W

I have the means to produce:

niobium (from Nb powder)
vanadium (from VO5 - vanadium pentoxide)
chromium (from nichrome wire, currently processing)
neodymium (from neodymium-iron-boron magnets)
cerium, lanthanum, praesodymium (from cigarette lighter flints; look-up "mischmetal")
antimony (from tin/antimony solder - residue from stannous chloride made from 95/5 tin/antimony solder 

The rare earths are of particular interest to me, but I haven't yet delved into study of them.


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## turtlesteve (Sep 22, 2010)

Chumbawamba,

How do you intend to reduce the V2O5 and Nd salts (that will come from the magnets)? I have several rare earth oxides and no means of reducing them easily. The easiest method I can think of is to produce Hg amalgam by electrolysis and retort the Hg in a vacuum. Thermite processes may be easier but will not yield a pure product.

Separating rare earth elements (REE) from mischmetal seems unreasonably difficult for a hobbyist. I have various REE ores and haven't even considered trying to separate out individual metals.

Also, the Nb will need to be sintered or arc-melted in vacuum or under argon, you have access to this equip?

Roger,

I may want to get samples of the alkali/alkaline earth metals from you in the future, I'll let you know.


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## Chumbawamba (Sep 22, 2010)

The quick and honest answer is, "I don't know" 

Fortunately, I live in an area with lots of retired high caliber national lab chemists and physicists. The other day I was visited by one and he was kind enough to sit down with me for half and hour discussing my chromium extraction process. He gave me some keen insights that are rather banal to the experienced chemist but to a neophyte like me opened the way to new procedures and possibilities.

I realize separating REE metals is difficult (they're very similar chemically and tend to react similarly) but the fact that these elements were isolated over a hundred years ago by people using (by today's standards) crude implements gives me promise. Where there is the will, there is a way.

I do have a vacuum strip caster that I believe will melt just about whatever I put into it, albeit at small sample sizes.

This is a lifelong pursuit. I have the time


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## turtlesteve (Sep 22, 2010)

Fair enough. If you come up with reasonable methods for getting pure rare earths from their oxides please do tell me. I've thought about this from time to time over the past year or so.

One additional option I didn't mention, is electrolysis in eutectic molten salts or ionic liquids. Ionic liquids could be used at room temperature with relatively few atmospheric controls needed, and would generate a pure metal deposit (I have read some journal papers on this). However, these ionic liquids are pretty expensive. Eutectic salt systems could be made easily and cheaply, but industrially used processes require 600-700 C temperatures. There are some ternary or quaternary eutectic systems that are feasible at lower temperatures, like on a lab hotplate. I'll probably try this method eventually with the hope of growing crystals of various reactive metals.

Steve


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## rogerxd45 (Sep 23, 2010)

Chumbawamba said:


> One additional challenge to my collection is that I want to obtain a 1cm cube sample through my own efforts. That would tend to include extraction and refinement. The intent is to learn as much about the various elements as possible.
> 
> Aside from the obvious elements (C, Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Hg, Pb, etc.) I currently have pure samples of:
> 
> ...



posted what i have in red


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## rogerxd45 (Sep 23, 2010)

...never mind


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## g_axelsson (Sep 23, 2010)

turtlesteve said:


> I also collect elements, in pure samples as well as samples of minerals containing that element. I generally don't like to spend much money on them so my collection grows rather slowly. I have excess Ti, Si (wafers), Co, Nb, Hg, and Se (powder) plus all of the common transition metals. I lack pure samples of the alkali and alkaline earth metals (except Ca) as well as the group 3 & higher metals/semi-metals (except C, Al, Si, Pb, and Se) and gases, and the rare-earths (except Gd), and some of the rarer transition metals (Sc, Y, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Hf, V).
> 
> Steve



Hi!

I have metallic arsenic samples from Storliden mine, I also have cerite, allanite and lanthanite specimens from Bastnäs mine, the type locality and source of the first Ce and La isolated.

I've also got a lot of other minerals from Sweden, Finland and Norway.

PM me for details or requests.

/Göran


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## Chumbawamba (Sep 23, 2010)

turtlesteve said:


> One additional option I didn't mention, is electrolysis in eutectic molten salts or ionic liquids. Ionic liquids could be used at room temperature with relatively few atmospheric controls needed, and would generate a pure metal deposit (I have read some journal papers on this). However, these ionic liquids are pretty expensive. Eutectic salt systems could be made easily and cheaply, but industrially used processes require 600-700 C temperatures. There are some ternary or quaternary eutectic systems that are feasible at lower temperatures, like on a lab hotplate. I'll probably try this method eventually with the hope of growing crystals of various reactive metals.



If I'm not mistaken, my recent readings on discoveries of rare earths tells me that electrolysis was one method used to extract REEs in the pure form.

A good metallurgical lab should have a nice furnace and a large rectifier 

The chemist I spoke to the other day also indicated that electrolysis would be one way to isolate the chromium in my solution.

This stuff is so cool


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## rogerxd45 (Sep 26, 2010)

oh and i have some tritium vials......which is by far the best way to have a hydrogen sample. (since the vials glow)

and after a few half lifes it becomes mostly helium3 which is a very rare isotope of helium that only has a natural abundance of 0.000137% (% He on Earth)


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## Lou (Sep 27, 2010)

Technically the 3H is verboten here stateside. It's exceedingly rare to see in any quantity. If I lived in Great Britain I'd be begging for a sample.

Is it in a phosphor tube?


I might be up for some element trading. Sadly, I can't trade the alkali metals without some shipping issues.


Lou


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## rogerxd45 (Oct 11, 2010)

Lou said:


> Technically the 3H is verboten here stateside. It's exceedingly rare to see in any quantity. If I lived in Great Britain I'd be begging for a sample.
> 
> Is it in a phosphor tube?
> 
> ...


yes it is in a phosphor tube, This was purchased legally in the USA....there are lots of regulations on them but there are a few ways to get them legally


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## kjavanb123 (Sep 22, 2013)

All,

There was a post with an article in it that talked about melting magnesium to 800 c then drop the Nd-Fe-B scrap into this and it will extract Nd from that alloy.

Thanks
Regards


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## artart47 (Sep 22, 2013)

Hi !
I've read about the rare elements that were discovered in scandinavia. I don't know if these elements are associated with extreamly old rock that exists in that area or not. 
If they are, I have some pieces of quartzite I picked up on the south-west side of Rib Mountain in Warsaw Wisconsin. I was going to look at them for gold content.
This rock is 1.3 billion years old volcanic uprising. I will send them to you guys if you think they may contain some of the elements that are of interest to you
I'm looking for northern Wi, mich, and canadian areas that have gold that may have been scraped and deposited in southern Wiconsin by the glaciers.
all I would want is to know if you find pm's in the samples. example; if I know what rock came from Rib Mt. I will know what to look for in sand and gravel deposits down by me that would tell me that Rib Mt. gold could be here!
Hope I can help!
artart47


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## g_axelsson (Sep 22, 2013)

artart47 said:


> Hi !
> I've read about the rare elements that were discovered in scandinavia. I don't know if these elements are associated with extreamly old rock that exists in that area or not.


There are many rare elements but if you are talking about rare earth minerals then it has nothing to do with the age of the rocks. Those minerals are mostly found in pegmatites and which elements are found is only related to the source of the pegmatite, usually a deeper laying granite.
Just think about it, those rocks were young once and elements never change except by radioactive decay. Therefore young rocks can also contain rare elements.
By the way, rare earth elements aren't that rare they are only well mixed in the crust. Copper is a rarer element than the rare earth elements.

Göran


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