# Mercury contamination HELP!!



## smcg924 (Aug 30, 2022)

Hello I’m new to all of this just a little over a month but hitting it hard day and night as I’m trying to make a living prospecting but yet to see any dollars so bear with me please as I am not yet a supportive member,

I was broke when I started and worse off now that I put the last month+ into this but I know it will pay as I’ve seen so much fine Gold in this material but couldn’t seem to process it into pure gold flour or at least somewhere above 50% purity as I could tell it was only around 20-30% observing under magnification.

I just kept looking for new spots to test and gather concentrates as well as nice mineral specimens and a few nuggets but the fine material is sure pay eventually 

So last week I finally got the blue bowl to clean my gold only to discover mercury on some rocks I had been soaking which i’m guessing contaminated my whole inventory from around 40 gallons of solid concentrates all the way up to rocks 
I’m screening my material super fine mesh probably around 150 I’m guessing



I took pictures to show it because every single time I get to the end of cleanout it’s mainly black sand and these big white balls of material.

I’m scared as hell of whats happening to my heath because I have my hands in this solutions of what I thought was just water when I’m classifying my material without a respirator or gloves unaware that there’s probably mercury all over it 

Anyone have some advice or suggestions that would be deeply appreciated I know I’m a dumbass but I really need to get paid should I throw it all out and just go get more and wash all my stuff or try to extractive by burning off the mercury or take my ass to the hospital? am I gonna die soon?


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## orvi (Aug 30, 2022)

Isn´t it lead pellets from buckshot ?
I do not say there is no mercury in your cons, but it seems like bits of oxidized lead to me. Pretty common where I live and pan for gold.


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## Biom (Aug 30, 2022)

Don't do any thing till you get more proper response from other refiners . Don't burn nothing .dealing with mercury is very dengerous if you heated . Personally I don't think you have to worry for time been .just keep it a side .tell you get proper response .and don't heated .


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## kurtak (Aug 30, 2022)

orvi said:


> Isn´t it lead pellets from buckshot ?
> I do not say there is no mercury in your cons, but it seems like bits of oxidized lead to me. Pretty common where I live and pan for gold.


I agree with Orvi - looks like lead shot to me --- mercury if a liquid 

Kurt


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## Ohiogoldfever (Aug 30, 2022)

Keep it under water. Are all the balls hard? I agree it looks like you have lead. Mercury is nothing to mess with but as stated it’s mostly when heated or through immense amounts of skin contact. 

If it weee me I would out some in a glass vial, be sure the vial has some of your flower gold in it. If your flower gold remains after a few days of contact with the silver balls I’d guess it’s not mercury.


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## kurtak (Aug 30, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> I’m screening my material super fine mesh probably around 150 I’m guessing


your screen is most certainly not 150 mesh - more like 32 mesh (I count 32 holes per inch) 150 mesh would be so fine you would hardly be able to see the holes between the wires 

Kurt


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## orvi (Aug 30, 2022)

kurtak said:


> I agree with Orvi - looks like lead shot to me --- mercury if a liquid
> 
> Kurt


I personally seen "saturated" mercury amalgam in one location here, which was heavily mined from medieval times to 19.th century. Gold here is on the boarderline of visibility, majority of flakes under 0.2 mm big. They heavily used mercury to amalgamate the cons either from placer mining or hard rock mining. Lots of mercury get into the stream - and how centuries passed, it traveled in the gravels slowly down the stream - and "catched" all gold flakes it encountered. In the end, droplet of Hg soaked that much flakes, that it formed quite solid round granules, which could be panned here to this day - if you are lucky  Sometimes they weigh even more than 0,1g, but majority is much smaller.
But these are bright silver coloured and still shiny. Not oxidized on the surface like pieces in the pan. And white coating resemble lead to me - plentiful anywhere, where humans stepped their foot  
When I go panning here, mainly to the bigger streams or rivers, it is quite sad how much toxic junk you can pan out. Not only lead shot, but so many times even lead acid batteries remains.... Broken to the small pieces. Humans can make such a mess...


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## smcg924 (Aug 30, 2022)

Thanks everyone, does lead gather other metals like that? Also my screen holes are 16th of an inch according to the photo I took would that not make it 196 per square inch? I really need proper information regarding what mesh I’m running for future reference as I have so little experience in this field. I just know that the balls that are forming are consistently up to 10x the size of the added material. I’d say around 8-10 different runs in the blue bowl with about 4-5 water changes. I hope you are right about the lead as I absolutely have a wild imagination that can swing all the way from from miraculous awe back down to imminent doom as I experienced when zooming into the surface of the rocks I gathered from a new location. 
My wishful thinking that they may be a platinum ore as some were mettallic and heavy with tiny bright shiny beads that didn’t resemble anything I have researched about silver or pyrite but as I was looking under magnifying lens on my IPhone (yes iPhone nothing scientific here) I could see several little conglomerates of tiny particles “swimming” around the tub gathering and growing bigger every few minutes and seemed to move quickly or change direction when hit with UV light. Thats when I looked up images of mercury in nature and thought what was on my rocks looked like a match. 
Ever since my awareness has been working overtime and originally started as someone here had mentioned respirator importance due to the danger of arsenic and mercury fumes when refining. So I dont know if hearing that planted a seed in my head that the paranoid side of my imagination took over or if I have something to worry about but since I’ve been on the lookout for close to a week I have seen quite a few small rocks and pebbles (approx 1cm) gathered more than usual and reposition after I had stopped scooping or pushing to a pile etc. like something magnetic which I understand is also a simple explanation. Thanks  everyone for your input


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## smcg924 (Aug 30, 2022)

I’m absolutely terrible about proofreading after I have sent replies lol. Upon looking again looks like 2 holes per 16th inch. My understanding is that would be close to 400 mesh?? I am a dumbass though I’ll be the first to let you know that


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## orvi (Aug 30, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> Thanks everyone, does lead gather other metals like that? Also my screen holes are 16th of an inch according to the photo I took would that not make it 196 per square inch? I really need proper information regarding what mesh I’m running for future reference as I have so little experience in this field. I just know that the balls that are forming are consistently up to 10x the size of the added material. I’d say around 8-10 different runs in the blue bowl with about 4-5 water changes. I hope you are right about the lead as I absolutely have a wild imagination that can swing all the way from from miraculous awe back down to imminent doom as I experienced when zooming into the surface of the rocks I gathered from a new location.
> My wishful thinking that they may be a platinum ore as some were mettallic and heavy with tiny bright shiny beads that didn’t resemble anything I have researched about silver or pyrite but as I was looking under magnifying lens on my IPhone (yes iPhone nothing scientific here) I could see several little conglomerates of tiny particles “swimming” around the tub gathering and growing bigger every few minutes and seemed to move quickly or change direction when hit with UV light. Thats when I looked up images of mercury in nature and thought what was on my rocks looked like a match.
> Ever since my awareness has been working overtime and originally started as someone here had mentioned respirator importance due to the danger of arsenic and mercury fumes when refining. So I dont know if hearing that planted a seed in my head that the paranoid side of my imagination took over or if I have something to worry about but since I’ve been on the lookout for close to a week I have seen quite a few small rocks and pebbles (approx 1cm) gathered more than usual and reposition after I had stopped scooping or pushing to a pile etc. like something magnetic which I understand is also a simple explanation. Thanks  everyone for your input


You can stay calm. Unless you doesn´t heat the cons or worse smelt them, you will be perfectly fine. Even arsenic minerasl like realgar or arsenopyrite are quite stable substances in normal conditions - room temperature, no acids or bases... Lead metal and also lead minerals the same.
Only thing that is just a little concerning is when you have oxidized lead - that white coating on the pieces of metal are oxides and hydroxides of lead. Altough quite insoluble, after drying, the possible dust created is not the best to inhale, to say at least 
So I will be maybe rationally cautious, and wear some respirator (I think FFP2 would be greatly sufficient - and everybody has these in hand since COVID emerged) and comfortable rubber gloves - just as precaution, not to soak your hands into heavy metal containing suspensions


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## smcg924 (Aug 30, 2022)

orvi said:


> You can stay calm. Unless you doesn´t heat the cons or worse smelt them, you will be perfectly fine. Even arsenic minerasl like realgar or arsenopyrite are quite stable substances in normal conditions - room temperature, no acids or bases... Lead metal and also lead minerals the same.
> Only thing that is just a little concerning is when you have oxidized lead - that white coating on the pieces of metal are oxides and hydroxides of lead. Altough quite insoluble, after drying, the possible dust created is not the best to inhale, to say at least
> So I will be maybe rationally cautious, and wear some respirator (I think FFP2 would be greatly sufficient - and everybody has these in hand since COVID emerged) and comfortable rubber gloves - just as precaution, not to soak your hands into heavy metal containing suspensions


Thanks man that’s good news other than there could be some lingering alkaline material as I had used baking soda to neutralize some AR that I wasn’t sure was completely rinsed out of my waters or tubs from the first week I started. I ph tested the water came back a littlehigh at 8.4


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## Golddigger76 (Aug 30, 2022)

I have dredged plenty of gold coated with mercury over the years. It is very stable if you store it in a snuffer bottle filled with water. Yes mercury is poisonous if you breathe fumes, swallow it ect. 
It is no different than the chemicals we use for refining. Educate yourself about how to safely deal with it if it is in fact mercury, don't dump it back into the water. You can build or buy a retort to separate your gold and mercury but until you learn how to properly do these things keep it stored under water somewhere safe so it will not be spilled. Not in your house because if spilled in there as your house warms up it will go from a liquid metal to a vapor and if you breathe it your body cannot get rid of it and you can start having medical problems. 
It is something that you have to deal with from time to time as a prospector just learn to deal with it responsibly and everything will be fine.


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## Ag and Au (Aug 31, 2022)

If you are concerned about mercury or lead fumes inhalation (which you should be), get a "*heavy metal blood test*" from your doctor and a "*24 hour urine sample*" (they will know what that means). I had elevated mercury and arsenic levels and, after extensive drinking water _and _gold recovery precipitant sample-testing, I concluded it was NOT from my refining hobby. It appears to be from my affinity to sushi, rice and vegetables. How's that for a surprise?


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## olawlor (Aug 31, 2022)

Dental amalgam is about 50% metallic mercury, and has been used around the world for over a century, including inside my mouth, so I wouldn't be concerned at all about occasionally handling tiny dots of metal amalgam. 

The ionic form, like after dissolving in acid, is *much* more toxic, but almost all metal salts should be treated as highly toxic. 

FYI, a "32 mesh screen" has wires on a 1/32 of an inch spacing.


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## smcg924 (Aug 31, 2022)

olawlor said:


> Dental amalgam is about 50% metallic mercury, and has been used around the world for over a century, including inside my mouth, so I wouldn't be concerned at all about occasionally handling tiny dots of metal amalgam.
> 
> The ionic form, like after dissolving in acid, is *much* more toxic, but almost all metal salts should be treated as highly toxic.
> 
> FYI, a "32 mesh screen" has wires on a 1/32 of an inch spacing.


Thanks olawlor, The scary thing is I used some acids on these rocks in the beginning and living where I live trying to conserve water I reused a lot of my waters for cleaning rocks and for classifying material which ended up in some of my cons I’m sure it seems to be in everything I had some of the material in my house working on it at night and things like that too so I don’t know but I think I will get that heavy metal test


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## smcg924 (Aug 31, 2022)

Ag and Au said:


> If you are concerned about mercury or lead fumes inhalation (which you should be), get a "*heavy metal blood test*" from your doctor and a "*24 hour urine sample*" (they will know what that means). I had elevated mercury and arsenic levels and, after extensive drinking water _and _gold recovery precipitant sample-testing, I concluded it was NOT from my refining hobby. It appears to be from my affinity to sushi, rice and vegetables. How's that for a surprise?


Yes I really need to do this


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## smcg924 (Aug 31, 2022)

kurtak said:


> your screen is most certainly not 150 mesh - more like 32 mesh (I count 32 holes per inch) 150 mesh would be so fine you would hardly be able to see the holes between the wires
> 
> Kurt


I stand corrected thanks kurtak, by the way my eyes are bad so I already have a hard time seeing the holes


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## swaminair (Sep 1, 2022)

Ag and Au said:


> If you are concerned about mercury or lead fumes inhalation (which you should be), get a "*heavy metal blood test*" from your doctor and a "*24 hour urine sample*" (they will know what that means). I had elevated mercury and arsenic levels and, after extensive drinking water _and _gold recovery precipitant sample-testing, I concluded it was NOT from my refining hobby. It appears to be from my affinity to sushi, rice and vegetables. How's that for a surprise?


If concerned about intoxication, learn the Homeopathic drugs, that can help clear the intoxication. I have learned about metal intoxication and drugs that help remove them from cells,so we can make use of some drugs for refiners reference "Arsenicum album, mercurious solublis, plumbum metallicum " are such drugs that help eliminate metal intoxication from our body,especially professional/occupational refiners.
If you haven't crossed this medical system you can read through the drugs in google or entire homeopathy.
If you can't get digesting the method of Homeopathy,you can also try herbals that clear those metals from body.
My little sharing to my fellow members,if you don't believe in Homeopathy no offence leave the message,if you do this may help.
one small note Intoxication arising from rice and other foods usually contain Arsenic to an extent.But not that of refiners level mostly refiners use masks to filter these sort of lead intoxication.
regards
swami nair


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## smcg924 (Sep 1, 2022)

swaminair said:


> If concerned about intoxication, learn the Homeopathic drugs, that can help clear the intoxication. I have learned about metal intoxication and drugs that help remove them from cells,so we can make use of some drugs for refiners reference "Arsenicum album, mercurious solublis, plumbum metallicum " are such drugs that help eliminate metal intoxication from our body,especially professional/occupational refiners.
> If you haven't crossed this medical system you can read through the drugs in google or entire homeopathy.
> If you can't get digesting the method of Homeopathy,you can also try herbals that clear those metals from body.
> My little sharing to my fellow members,if you don't believe in Homeopathy no offence leave the message,if you do this may help.
> ...


Thanks 


swaminair said:


> If concerned about intoxication, learn the Homeopathic drugs, that can help clear the intoxication. I have learned about metal intoxication and drugs that help remove them from cells,so we can make use of some drugs for refiners reference "Arsenicum album, mercurious solublis, plumbum metallicum " are such drugs that help eliminate metal intoxication from our body,especially professional/occupational refiners.
> If you haven't crossed this medical system you can read through the drugs in google or entire homeopathy.
> If you can't get digesting the method of Homeopathy,you can also try herbals that clear those metals from body.
> My little sharing to my fellow members,if you don't believe in Homeopathy no offence leave the message,if you do this may help.
> ...


thanks swami, I’m totally checking that out and prefer a natural approach whenever possible


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## smcg924 (Sep 1, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> Hello I’m new to all of this just a little over a month but hitting it hard day and night as I’m trying to make a living prospecting but yet to see any dollars so bear with me please as I am not yet a supportive member,
> 
> I was broke when I started and worse off now that I put the last month+ into this but I know it will pay as I’ve seen so much fine Gold in this material but couldn’t seem to process it into pure gold flour or at least somewhere above 50% purity as I could tell it was only around 20-30% observing under magnification.
> 
> ...


Update!! This is embarrassing Told y’all I’m a dumbass and hopefully this may explain my initial fear of the “white balls” that kept growing in my blue bowl cleanout. Could it be Borax? I at one point dumped quite a bit into my water solutions that passed through all or at least most of my material


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## Yggdrasil (Sep 1, 2022)

swaminair said:


> If concerned about intoxication, learn the Homeopathic drugs, that can help clear the intoxication. I have learned about metal intoxication and drugs that help remove them from cells,so we can make use of some drugs for refiners reference "Arsenicum album, mercurious solublis, plumbum metallicum " are such drugs that help eliminate metal intoxication from our body,especially professional/occupational refiners.
> If you haven't crossed this medical system you can read through the drugs in google or entire homeopathy.
> If you can't get digesting the method of Homeopathy,you can also try herbals that clear those metals from body.
> My little sharing to my fellow members,if you don't believe in Homeopathy no offence leave the message,if you do this may help.
> ...


Swami, we do not support Alchemy nor non scientific medical treatments here.
The Arsenic Album are considered safe only because the Arsenic Oxide in it is virtually non existent, although in India there are severel cases of poisoning because of poorly prepared batches according to Wikipedia.


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## Yggdrasil (Sep 1, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> Thanks
> 
> thanks swami, I’m totally checking that out and prefer a natural approach whenever possible


Natural can be good, but both Ricin and Botulinum are natural and also the most toxic elements known to mankind.


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## swaminair (Sep 1, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> Swami, we do not support Alchemy nor non scientific medical treatments here.
> The Arsenic Album are considered safe only because the Arsenic Oxide in it is virtually non existent, although in India there are severel cases of poisoning because of poorly prepared batches according to Wikipedia.


Many argue that way it's not alchemy-there's one scientifically proven method of medicine called "Ayurveda" which means Life science in a Traditional language known as sanskrit.,Being an Indian I go through with it,though not versatile with sanskrit language, the verses of sankrit are followed with due diligence in every case .

Homeopathic principles are based on potentialization method which are very basic principles of Ayurveda but it's not based on Alcohol and lactic acid.The retention of molecules /here ions are existent with the particles which our human cells duly absorb and equally act, those propounded in the markets are not true homeopathy,the particle that disturb your cell are provided the same nano particle and the cells tend to absorb it again, after making this the intoxicated accumulates of the cell are removed by the natural biological system which the Allopathy lacks.
There's a system of cleansing the cells after a intoxication occurs, but "medicating needs clear knowledge of the system."
When misunderstood homeopathy is a myth,but when understood homeopathy stands a beautiful service to the Humanity,it depends on understanding.

Mostly who understands homeopathy go through the version called pseudo science, as most of its drugs causes general proving,because homeopathy depends on iNDIVIDUALISATION OF PERSON AND REMEDIES ,unlike allopathy which provides means for common causes.

I do not accredit any medical system in total because there is one best medicine which is God, no medics can give life back.No one is able to understand how the cells are and what fuels and what a living being is .
In the southern part of India which I live in, there existed some miraculous people known as "siddhars " they provided many herbal,metallic,nano principles which the scientists are still unable to understand.,There medical preparations are too hard like simply said pulverization, but a hard task to construct, they make 100 -300 pulverizations with various herbs and chemicals to pulverize a single remedy which they call as "pudam " this is mostly alike pulverizing,but untired they grinded and pulverized to make the medicine to clear the cell toxicity,which the modern medicines are unable to cater even with the latest technology.

Then to the max conclusion I came up with Homeopathy and understood the principles, after crossing several systems of medicine, not one or two Two traditionals "Ayurveda and Siddha system of medicine "then crossed allopathy and got through their best impure medicines that intoxicates the cellular mechanism by their mcg and mg approach which the body does never absorb but react, it's not total chemistry with the body and body features one great thing which no science can explain which is Human Mind .The medicines and approaches of all systems go along the theraphy of chemistry,but doesn't go along with mind associated with the chemistry and changes done to the biochemistry.

I can specify one or two examples of such :

Moon and its phases in psychiatry-the variations of salts in earth on specific nil moon and full moon affects every people, when you see rheumatism you can find this and extreme psychiatry on the onrise and onset of moon on those days, How science accepted this fact -with the invent of Hypnotism the author and father of Hypnotism claimed this fact and proved them does chemistry directly work with them?And the son of charles darwin provided his discoveries -unlike his father he proved working with mankind he provided the same information in early days.
So No alchemy and pseudo science is involved it's how the medicine is understood is the point with Homeopathy to learn this "organon of medicine" should be learned from its father "Hahnemann-who was an Allopathic MD" most who moved away from allopathy really understood it's path and ran away from it.The proven pseudo is Allopathy which is modern medicine which lives due to pharmaceutical companies and the business prospects in it.When Hahnemann the founder of Homeopathy found this system the best agitation he got from is from the CHEMISTS because the shelf life of drugs and cost of medicines are too little and meagre to profit.And the medicines are mostly "one to 4 doses " for any illness, it's pathology the heart of Homeopathy and not Medicines.so i said UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES IS ESSENTIAL.

Mate I went this long because of the misunderstanding,that might create that, "the system of medicine is Vague".I have personally verified many of the drug provings with excellent no hiding no return policy.

regards
swami nair


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## Yggdrasil (Sep 1, 2022)

So by taking an solution of an Ionic salt and diluting to a concentration which is virtually lower than the natural content in general drinking water, 
it is supposed to detoxify you from the same compound, as in the case Arsenic Album.

Sorry mate it defies logic.

Most water in India has higher content of Arsenic than the prepared Arsenic Album does it not?
Well drink water then.

I will recommend following proven scientific remedies and treatments.


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## swaminair (Sep 1, 2022)

To Yggdrasil
The medicine composes of three kinds of administration which are plant kingdom,animal kingdom,mineral kingdom -consists of minerals, salts,acids,alkalis.But the proportion of the intake of such medicines is important that's what I like with Homeopathy.
Homeopathy has a beautiful thing called "nosodes" which are cellular cleansers.And they have a array of things for each type of cleansing with nosodes,I mean the cleansing with the genetical impacts, you have crossed the Stem cell theraphy now being administered with mothers of hereditarily affected diseases.These are all mostly tragical because they tend to suppress certain mechanisms of the cell division of the formed child namely the chromosomal inhibition,for which the nosodes are a clean cut mechanism that eradicates and pull away the implants of cell.
The composition of heridatary impacts of pattern encloses your ancestral habits and the mal absorbtions the cells of our ancestors and the suppressed systems that are being carried alike a closed garbage repacked into another new born and waiting for an event to break the cellular mechanism.
Lot of things around ...so I request everyone in the forum not to conclude anything pseudo unless you have analysed them personally.Sone reactions can never be explained like "Breathe and Living ".

regards 
swami nair


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## Yggdrasil (Sep 1, 2022)

Sorry mate, this is getting too close to religion and belief.
The homeopathy along with acupuncture and a few others belong in the Pseudo box of medicine.
Even though they seem to have something to them that may or may not work at certain situations.
It has so far not been possible to prove much within the methods of science, hence pseudo.

I want this part of the discussion to stop here.
Anything else within this topic should be taken in PMs or in the bar and grill as long as religion and politics are kept out of it.


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## swaminair (Sep 1, 2022)

Rice itself is full of Arsenic oil being high of arsenic, why most of the people across other continents especially USA are affected by cancer.
Everywhere Arsenic is fed by the agricultural lands and grain,take any rice you cultivate, whenever you try to modify the genetical variations arsenic tends to absorb a lot in the food grains,not drinking water lead and arsenic are everywhere in the world.
Not arsenic especially the one,arsenic is an example, why I made the reference to arsenic is because of our forum members to suspicion of arsenic mercury posioning.
yes thats the part of Homeopathy that makes it feel like pseudo, Nothing above avagrado is the only point Homeo lacks.But Ionisation and using a lactic base certainly makes it work.cells absorb two particles First is sugar and the second is alcohol,The principles are used to make them a carrier to the nano particle.It's also mentioned in the ancient proven medical systems like ayurveda.
You have to go through with it to get the point.Anyway the system is still based on Herbs and salts.There's another system which goes by the same principles which are inline with Homeopathy which is "Bio chemistry of schussler " it's till holds the same methods,you mean potentialization as pseudo but how the cell absorbs is not the mg or mcg does being provided by the pharmacies,cells take only the nano particles of the medicines and the rest are thrown away.
Basically I know these b'coz of my background with pharmaceutical companies, I was once a Pharmaceutical Distributor and I know what the Pharmacology and kinetics does with medicines.The pills and medicines were just particles of fluor and the mcg is just struck in between,while absorbtion is certainly nano,why vitamins are being supplemented with 1000 to 5000 mcg when the absorbtion is simple as in allopathy, while the nano particles are too little but show up with perfection.

With Yggdrasil he needs everything to be proven,I agree with but what makes you Breath is not yet explained and where the breathing is finished is not yet?We never had seen "oxygen" visible but understood they are ions and molecules floating around us.This is the way Homeopathy works.
But mate happy on a organic principle fight.
regards
swami nair


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## Yggdrasil (Sep 1, 2022)

Stop this now!!
We are discussing Gold recovery and refining.
Not pseudo medicine.

If any recommendations are to be done it has to be within the scientific proven medicine.

I find that any recommendation outside this, do not belong in this forum.
If you want to discuss this further, find another place to do it.


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## BShan (Sep 1, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> Update!! This is embarrassing Told y’all I’m a dumbass and hopefully this may explain my initial fear of the “white balls” that kept growing in my blue bowl cleanout. Could it be Borax? I at one point dumped quite a bit into my water solutions that passed through all or at least most of my material


I've only heard stories, but from what I hear, if you store clean gold flakes with mercury-coated gold flakes, the non-coated gold flakes will eventually end up covered in mercury too. I don't think that lead would do that. 

Maybe a test could be collecting some of the similar unknown items, and putting in one flake of gold, and agitating it for a bit to see if any of the unknown transfers over to the gold flake.


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## Alondro (Sep 1, 2022)

olawlor said:


> Dental amalgam is about 50% metallic mercury, and has been used around the world for over a century, including inside my mouth, so I wouldn't be concerned at all about occasionally handling tiny dots of metal amalgam.
> 
> The ionic form, like after dissolving in acid, is *much* more toxic, but almost all metal salts should be treated as highly toxic.
> 
> FYI, a "32 mesh screen" has wires on a 1/32 of an inch spacing.


The deadliest is dimethyl mercury. A single drop on the skin will kill you. Slowly. Painfully.


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## smcg924 (Sep 2, 2022)

Alondro said:


> The deadliest is dimethyl mercury. A single drop on the skin will kill you. Slowly. Painfully.


Yea I watched a story about a lady who had 2 drops land on her blue gloves soaked right through and really did her in a bad way. Thats why I’m so freaked out. I’m getting my tests done tomorrow, I can’t take it man I’ve been stopping all through the house inside and out looking everywhere for the shit harder than I ever looked for gold and pretty sure I’ve seen some small drops of it mainly outside but looked like some in my bathroom sink which is no good. Not sure how its made “dimethyl” but the rocks and cons I have been working with were once in an acid solution that started with chucks of broken boulders approx 4”sq average in 50/50 muratic and water then I turned to AR (this was before I knew of the dangers of nitric fumes) then took the smaller broken up and dissolved pieces partially rinsed and soaking and added with cons I accumulated that week. When I did dump that solution everything was soaking in, it was into another tub with new material that was freshly dug as to give a first rinse( was trying to save water) anyway I feel like the waters were probably acidic for long enough to run through 80% of my material before I heard information about how deadly nitric fumes could be and dumped baking soda into all my accumulated tubs of materials 
This is some scary shit cause I don’t know where the hell the Hg come from and if it ran through acids but just about everyone had said its no big deal if I don’t heat it or use with acids.
Being that the scientist lady who came in contact with 2drops on her gloved hand was doomed I may have to follow swami advice on this one if it tyrns out bad on my bloodwork


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## swaminair (Sep 2, 2022)

Thank you


smcg924 said:


> Yea I watched a story about a lady who had 2 drops land on her blue gloves soaked right through and really did her in a bad way. Thats why I’m so freaked out. I’m getting my tests done tomorrow, I can’t take it man I’ve been stopping all through the house inside and out looking everywhere for the shit harder than I ever looked for gold and pretty sure I’ve seen some small drops of it mainly outside but looked like some in my bathroom sink which is no good. Not sure how its made “dimethyl” but the rocks and cons I have been working with were once in an acid solution that started with chucks of broken boulders approx 4”sq average in 50/50 muratic and water then I turned to AR (this was before I knew of the dangers of nitric fumes) then took the smaller broken up and dissolved pieces partially rinsed and soaking and added with cons I accumulated that week. When I did dump that solution everything was soaking in, it was into another tub with new material that was freshly dug as to give a first rinse( was trying to save water) anyway I feel like the waters were probably acidic for long enough to run through 80% of my material before I heard information about how deadly nitric fumes could be and dumped baking soda into all my accumulated tubs of materials
> This is some scary shit cause I don’t know where the hell the Hg come from and if it ran through acids but just about everyone had said its no big deal if I don’t heat it or use with acids.
> Being that the scientist lady who came in contact with 2drops on her gloved hand was doomed I may have to follow swami advice on this one if it tyrns out bad on my bloodwork


Thank you.Consult a best Homeopathian near you, but mercury is the hardest to remove from blood .make bio chemic analysis , There are few remedies since it's nature is not known few commons will help (There are few remedies that will help mercury Hg has various combinations in general merc corosivus, merc solublis, merc bin iodide rubar,)
After this elimination can use silicea ,hepar sulphur and herbals certainly include these, but if intruded in the endothermic layer this will help.I know of a person who drank mercury and lived for 9 years then dead,before one week I met him.His condition was serious by then,no way as he drank crude mercury before 9 years ,every cell got affected.Deadly.
And to Moderator yggdrasil this is to convey support to him as the conversation is carried out personally.so the Homeopathic conversation ended here as per your REQUEST to stop.

regards
swami nair


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## swaminair (Sep 2, 2022)

Yggdrasil said:


> Stop this now!!
> We are discussing Gold recovery and refining.
> Not pseudo medicine.
> 
> ...


wellsaid.
This is not Homeopathic discussion forum,I made a suggestion to the member in trouble, of course the forum is for the reason,there is nothing called path or pathy,but ways to heal.Of all Healing is vital than vague arguments.That's why I made clarity of information.
And for your response, being a moderator, it's your responsibility to curb unwanted conversations,so you did that very well as usual.I adhere.
But you triggered whether the process is scientific or pseudo,our refiners certainly are intelligent enough to take up the conversations,since you triggered a suspective response,I have to clarify all the doubts that members would have acquired with the response.
Got your Conversation over Inbox so we can continue if you wish there.I have replied there too.
You aim at purity of information over the forum I agree with that but for the sake of truth I happened to reply.so before opening a "stop" command it's best to see where the inception started.Even I didn't open up a word for water contamination over India and wikipedia response it's a hate comment that no Indian would tolerate.If wikipedia is to be relied 100% (you can update wikipedia as you know anyone can update)


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## goldshark (Sep 2, 2022)

Just to clarify the mesh thing ma jig, 1/4 " mesh = 4 holes per linear inch along 1 of 2 axis, so 1/4" mesh = 16 holes per square inch, 1/8" mesh has 64 holes per square inch, 16 mesh has 256 holes per square inch, etc.. Mercury/ Au amalgam is usually as shiny as a mirror, unless it has been "sickened" by sulphide contamination. When sickened, it will not collect any Au, or other amalgam able metals. Of course unless you freshen it up by adding Lye, or distillation. Handling mercury in a relatively low vapor pressure concentration, is relatively harmless. Remember that Mercury will emit vapors at a sub zero C. temperature, albeit very slowly. Progressively higher temperatures will accelerate the evaporation rate. If Mercury is so toxic, why would the EPA, and AMA allow such high jinks to be installed in your mouth. I wouldn't worry about it too much until you start exposing more than 1/2 a gram, open air up your nose, at 80 C., and purposefully inhaling. Those do look like buckshot. Smash with a hammer.Look for cracks where the Lead has been hardened. They will appear on the outer portion of the smash. Amalgam will flatten without cracking. When in doubt, dissolve in a couple drops of Nitric + some water. Mercury will dissolve both, but will show Au, if it is amalgam.


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## Yggdrasil (Sep 2, 2022)

swaminair said:


> Thank you
> 
> Thank you.Consult a best Homeopathian near you, but mercury is the hardest to remove from blood .make bio chemic analysis , There are few remedies since it's nature is not known few commons will help (There are few remedies that will help mercury Hg has various combinations in general merc corosivus, merc solublis, merc bin iodide rubar,)
> After this elimination can use silicea ,hepar sulphur and herbals certainly include these, but if intruded in the endothermic layer this will help.I know of a person who drank mercury and lived for 9 years then dead,before one week I met him.His condition was serious by then,no way as he drank crude mercury before 9 years ,every cell got affected.Deadly.
> ...


Wrong. 
Consult a doctor if you think you have been exposed to heavy metals.


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## Yggdrasil (Sep 2, 2022)

swaminair said:


> wellsaid.
> This is not Homeopathic discussion forum,I made a suggestion to the member in trouble, of course the forum is for the reason,there is nothing called path or pathy,but ways to heal.Of all Healing is vital than vague arguments.That's why I made clarity of information.
> And for your response, being a moderator, it's your responsibility to curb unwanted conversations,so you did that very well as usual.I adhere.
> But you triggered whether the process is scientific or pseudo,our refiners certainly are intelligent enough to take up the conversations,since you triggered a suspective response,I have to clarify all the doubts that members would have acquired with the response.
> ...


The comment that is commented are in Bold
The replies are in Red Bold


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## swaminair (Sep 2, 2022)

I like the way yggdrasil moderates the forum with strict rules for safety of members.
Growing bold in arguments that makes a healthy society as well take this suggestion that will help.A constructive criticism is well appreciated everywhere so I do, that's the literal way and a healthy mind.Self medication is dangerous unless you know the entire thing.But never worry about,PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.The oldest I have heard still works better than any medicine.
Btween shark is really a shark in support.,good questions but for dental purposes this is hazardous,you know how many medications have been abandoned in USA after 20 years of use and determining them toxic and risky.
But the topic concerns about health issues a refiner will/might get.so going on.
regards
swami nair


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## Alondro (Sep 2, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> Yea I watched a story about a lady who had 2 drops land on her blue gloves soaked right through and really did her in a bad way. Thats why I’m so freaked out. I’m getting my tests done tomorrow, I can’t take it man I’ve been stopping all through the house inside and out looking everywhere for the shit harder than I ever looked for gold and pretty sure I’ve seen some small drops of it mainly outside but looked like some in my bathroom sink which is no good. Not sure how its made “dimethyl” but the rocks and cons I have been working with were once in an acid solution that started with chucks of broken boulders approx 4”sq average in 50/50 muratic and water then I turned to AR (this was before I knew of the dangers of nitric fumes) then took the smaller broken up and dissolved pieces partially rinsed and soaking and added with cons I accumulated that week. When I did dump that solution everything was soaking in, it was into another tub with new material that was freshly dug as to give a first rinse( was trying to save water) anyway I feel like the waters were probably acidic for long enough to run through 80% of my material before I heard information about how deadly nitric fumes could be and dumped baking soda into all my accumulated tubs of materials
> This is some scary shit cause I don’t know where the hell the Hg come from and if it ran through acids but just about everyone had said its no big deal if I don’t heat it or use with acids.
> Being that the scientist lady who came in contact with 2drops on her gloved hand was doomed I may have to follow swami advice on this one if it tyrns out bad on my bloodwork


Metallic mercury is far less toxic than organic mercury compounds. Kids used to play with the liquid drops back in the day. Heck, I still have a Mercury Maze, where you'd move a drop of mercury through a little maze. 

It's when mercury becomes oxidized, incorporates into compounds, or volatile that it becomes very toxic.

You would not find it easy to 'accidentally' create dimethylmercury. It required fairly specific synthetic methods.

The only combination one might remotely encounter, if one is also playing with lithium batteries, is a combination of mercuric chloride with methyl-lithium. Though, how one would accidentally form methyl-lithium escapes me. You'd need to have methyl chloride or methyl bromide. The former, which is the simplest, would only form if you mixed methanol and HCl. I don't know why one would ever do that with scrap processing. And mixing all these chemicals together in a vat would likely produce nasty stuff long before you got to the dimethyl mercury production.


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## smcg924 (Sep 2, 2022)

Alondro said:


> Metallic mercury is far less toxic than organic mercury compounds. Kids used to play with the liquid drops back in the day. Heck, I still have a Mercury Maze, where you'd move a drop of mercury through a little maze.
> 
> It's when mercury becomes oxidized, incorporates into compounds, or volatile that it becomes very toxic.


Exactly that’s my worries I don’t know where it came from, I don’t know if it was in my AR with the other rocks, if it came from Cinnabar which is mined less than 10 miles from me so that’s possible I’m guessing I don’t know because I’m not a chemist and I’m obviously waiting over my head with this and was unaware of the dangers


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## smcg924 (Sep 2, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> Exactly that’s my worries I don’t know where it came from, I don’t know if it was in my AR with the other rocks, if it came from Cinnabar which is mined less than 10 miles from me so that’s possible I’m guessing I don’t know because I’m not a chemist and I’m obviously waiting over my head with this and was unaware of the dangers


I played with mercury as a kid too 
Can’t you tell


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## Alondro (Sep 2, 2022)

smcg924 said:


> Exactly that’s my worries I don’t know where it came from, I don’t know if it was in my AR with the other rocks, if it came from Cinnabar which is mined less than 10 miles from me so that’s possible I’m guessing I don’t know because I’m not a chemist and I’m obviously waiting over my head with this and was unaware of the dangers


If your rocks have a very red mineral in them, that could be cinnabar. The real risk there is exposing it to very high temps, which would reduce and vaporize the mercury; and getting any contaminated acid solutions you make on your skin, as dissolved mercury ions could slip through into the blood stream. But, you don't want concentrated acid and metal solutions on your skin in the first place! 

You can check an aqueous sulfuric acid solution from leaching a sample of your rocks for the presence of mercury by taking two test tubes of the solution and adding a little dilute nitric acid to one. It will form virtually insoluble, yellow mercury(I) nitrate if there's a significant amount of mercury. To the other tube, add a little HCl. That will form mercury chloride, which is a white solid also virtually insoluble in water. Further tests would involve isolating the white chloride, cleaning it with distilled water, then adding a few drops of ammonia. The white compound would then turn pitch black due to a disproportionation reaction. Forming those compounds proves the presence of high levels of mercury in solution.

However, cinnabar does not like to dissolve. You'd likely need to be using a EDT or mercaptoethanol solution to get it to dissolve out of the rock in the first place.

Be careful, wear protective gloves and goggles, store and dispose of the waste solutions properly... and don't drink any pretty colored solutions just because they look like Koolaid!


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## FrugalRefiner (Sep 2, 2022)

Alondro said:


> Metallic mercury is far less toxic than organic mercury compounds. Kids used to play with the liquid drops back in the day. Heck, I still have a Mercury Maze, where you'd move a drop of mercury through a little maze.


When I was a kid, my dad worked for Ford motor as a maintenance machinist. He used to bring home the mercury from damaged ignitrons (high voltage rectifiers). My brother and I would pour it out on the kitchen table, break the beads into smaller beads, push them back together, etc. Great fun. No telling how many beads fell off the table and broke into tiny, tiny droplets on the floor. And we're all fi, fi, fi, fine!

Seriously, metallic mercury isn't the horrible boogeyman it's portrayed as. Still, something to take precautions with, but don't lose sleep over it. As has been said, treat it with respect. Keep it isolated, in a sealed bottle. A little water on top doesn't hurt.

Dave


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## smcg924 (Sep 2, 2022)

Alondro said:


> If your rocks have a very red mineral in them, that could be cinnabar. The real risk there is exposing it to very high temps, which would reduce and vaporize the mercury; and getting any contaminated acid solutions you make on your skin, as dissolved mercury ions could slip through into the blood stream. But, you don't want concentrated acid and metal solutions on your skin in the first place!
> 
> You can check an aqueous sulfuric acid solution from leaching a sample of your rocks for the presence of mercury by taking two test tubes of the solution and adding a little dilute nitric acid to one. It will form virtually insoluble, yellow mercury(I) nitrate if there's a significant amount of mercury. To the other tube, add a little HCl. That will form mercury chloride, which is a white solid also virtually insoluble in water. Further tests would involve isolating the white chloride, cleaning it with distilled water, then adding a few drops of ammonia. The white compound would then turn pitch black due to a disproportionation reaction. Forming those compounds proves the presence of high levels of mercury in solution.
> 
> ...


Ok now that makes me feel better! I won’t be doing the test you explained rather well I believe as I’m just not competent or confident in my understanding of it. But if you are saying that mercury isn’t readily available without further processing cinnabar I do feel better. There are plenty of red rocks in my inventory and I remember some rocks bleeding like blood red which tripped me out was wondering if they were fossils with traces of blood coming out as they were more of a white color to begin with


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## Agostino (Sep 3, 2022)

Alondro said:


> The deadliest is dimethyl mercury. A single drop on the skin will kill you. Slowly. Painfully.


That is correct. Organomercury compounds are deadly as they are readily absorbed into the body. Mercury metal is fairly benign with a very low vapour pressure at room temperature so even the risk of inhalation to poisoning is low. The fear of mercury arose from the result of microbes in waterways acting on metallic mercury present in the sediments introduced by the now long banned industrial uses of the metal. The microbial action formed organomercury compounds which entered and concentrated moving up the food chain. I have had mercury amalgams in my mouth for over thirty years and played with the metal as a child and am now 65 years of age with NO signs of mercury poisoning. Caveat: I am not endorsing the irresponsible use and/ or disposal of mercury.


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## Alondro (Sep 4, 2022)

Agostino said:


> That is correct. Organomercury compounds are deadly as they are readily absorbed into the body. Mercury metal is fairly benign with a very low vapour pressure at room temperature so even the risk of inhalation to poisoning is low. The fear of mercury arose from the result of microbes in waterways acting on metallic mercury present in the sediments introduced by the now long banned industrial uses of the metal. The microbial action formed organomercury compounds which entered and concentrated moving up the food chain. I have had mercury amalgams in my mouth for over thirty years and played with the metal as a child and am now 65 years of age with NO signs of mercury poisoning. Caveat: I am not endorsing the irresponsible use and/ or disposal of mercury.


We did lab safety courses and saw a case where a suicidal person had INJECTED metallic mercury into her veins... and survived. She had health problems afterward, but did not die from it.

In fact, here's a recent similar case! Teen deliberately injects himself with mercury 'to become Marvel superhero'

Mercury vapors inhaled during improperly smelting gold in primitive mining operations are the most common sources of mercury poisoning in the world these days. 

Arsenic is a far bigger problem. It's present in many groundwater sources, especially in South America, where large regions have levels over 10ug/L.


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## flamington12 (Nov 21, 2022)

kurtak said:


> your screen is most certainly not 150 mesh - more like 32 mesh (I count 32 holes per inch) 150 mesh would be so fine you would hardly be able to see the holes between the wires
> 
> Kurt


This is accurate - Years back I had a similar situation with screen - and when I touched base with the manufacturer Wire CLoth - Belleville they explained that the only way to KNOW the mesh size was to count the holes per inch. This is in fact 32x32.


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## stampeden (Jan 1, 2023)

Ag and Au said:


> If you are concerned about mercury or lead fumes inhalation (which you should be), get a "*heavy metal blood test*" from your doctor and a "*24 hour urine sample*" (they will know what that means). I had elevated mercury and arsenic levels and, after extensive drinking water _and _gold recovery precipitant sample-testing, I concluded it was NOT from my refining hobby. It appears to be from my affinity to sushi, rice and vegetables. How's that for a surprise?


Mercury poisoning can happen from a variety of sources. Some that we have little control over. Dental amalgam, when squeezed into your teeth, still has 50% mercury. YES! You heard that right. 50%. And the mercury enters your body in a variety of ways. Inhalation is the way most dental amalgam enters the body. Mercury constantly leaches from the amalgam into your mouth where it is inhaled and enters the body from the lungs. This chronic condition can last a lifetime. Recently it was found that cell phones tend to migrate the mercury from the amalgam. Bottom Line - Be careful. Always keep mercury covered with water. Be aware of your surroundings and KNOW WHAT YOU ARE USING! Mercury is rarely fatal. But we do not want to become Mad Hatters! I had mercury poisoning and went through chelation (EDTA) therapy 40 years ago. I am still here.


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## goldshark (Jan 2, 2023)

I just looked at the picture in your original post. Are you talking about the larger balls, in from the edge of the bowl in the field, or what looks like very tiny Silver BBs around the edge , where the bowl transitions from flat, up the wall? The transition from flat to vertical area, also looks like light being reflected. This makes it hard to tell exactly what we are looking at.


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## kurtak (Jan 2, 2023)

stampeden said:


> Mercury poisoning can happen from a variety of sources. Some that we have little control over. Dental amalgam, when squeezed into your teeth, still has 50% mercury. YES! You heard that right. 50%. And the mercury enters your body in a variety of ways. Inhalation is the way most dental amalgam enters the body. Mercury constantly leaches from the amalgam into your mouth where it is inhaled and enters the body from the lungs.


I am sorry but the fact is that you are *(far)* more likely to get mercury poisoning from eating tuna fish (&/or other fish - especially eating fish that eat fish) then you are from silver/mercury amalgam fillings in your mouth









How Does Toxic Mercury Get into Fish? | WHOI


How does toxic mercury get into fish? We are aware of the high levels of toxic mercury in fish, but scientists are still trying to discover how that mercury gets into the ocean in the first place.




www.whoi.edu













Methylmercury - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





I am 65 years old & have had silver/mercury amalgam fillings in my mouth my entire life & have yet to suffer any kind of mercury poisoning 

In fact - when I need a tooth filled I actually request that they use silver/mercury amalgam to fill the tooth --- this is because they don't fall out in a year or two like the new plastic composite fillings do

Also - about 25 -30 years ago I was hired to log redwood on 500 acers of private property in Guerneville California - the 500 acers was originally a VERY LARGE mercury mine (Great Eastern Quicksilver Mine Company)

The floor of the LARGE rotary retort room had about an inch to inch & half of fine dust/dirt on the floor - under that dust/dirt was a LOT of mercury - so in my spare time I would fill a five gallon bucket with the dirt & wash the dirt to recover the mercury - after a year (in my spare time) I recovered something like 2&1/2 gallons of mercury - NEVER got mercury poisoning 

I sold the mercury to a couple hard rock miners (two different mines) & they used it for amalgamating the fine gold from their ball milling - they NEVER got mercury poisoning - they of course had a *proper* retort set up

Here is a video of the old mercury mine (in Guerneville) where I recovered the 2&1/2 gallons of mercury from



The actual element mercury is actually not all that much of a concern for mercury poisoning --- it is the vapors (when heated *above* normal ambient temperatures) &/or other chemical compounds/complexes of it that become a real concern for poisoning

Even the so called Mad Hatters got it (mercury poisoning) because of *long term & consent exposer* to it & that was because the mercury they were exposed to was mercury nitrate - not elemental mercury

Kurt


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