Rag and Bone
Well-known member
How do you test for mercury?
How do you get rid of it?
How do you get rid of it?
Mercury Testing and Disposal
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Anonymous
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Green Peace sells a mercury test kit. https://secureusa.greenpeace.org/mercury/
I'd be very leary of dealing with environmental groups. Quite frankly, the "science" behind most of their claims is extremely faulty if not downright wrong. I've seen too much outright crap come out of these groups. Oh, the site doesn't come up either.
Most counties have an amenesty day at least every couple of months in which people can dispose of their haz mats cheaply or for free. That's how I dispose of my Hg.
Now as for recovery, remember, most Hg is found with it's associated mineral, cinnabar. Some was lost by the early miners, but, by what I've seen, the vast majority is from the decomposition of Cinnabar to it's components, Hg and S. The best way to recover Hg is with a mercury retort. They are cheap and easy to build, just use black iron pipe fittings and tubing. Not galvanized or any other metals. I'll try to find a pic of one so you can see how simple they are to build. The proper use of a retort will also allow the user to also capture the values that have been absorbed by the Hg.
If you have Hd dissolved in a nitrate solution, simple hang some copper in the solution and the Hg will form as droplets on the copper and fall to the bottom of the container. It's best to store Hg under a weak to medium strong solution of NaOH so it won't evaporate. The fumes and organic alcohols of Hg are what is dangerous. Use simple precautions to prevent that.
Hg is a good prospecting tool that was improperly used by the early miners and missunderstood by the general populace. It has created a fear and hatred that is undeserved.
Oh, and by the way, what is it that makes the Compact Flouresent Light Bulbs work? Oh, just Hg. Talk about environmental psuedoscience.
Chuck
Most counties have an amenesty day at least every couple of months in which people can dispose of their haz mats cheaply or for free. That's how I dispose of my Hg.
Now as for recovery, remember, most Hg is found with it's associated mineral, cinnabar. Some was lost by the early miners, but, by what I've seen, the vast majority is from the decomposition of Cinnabar to it's components, Hg and S. The best way to recover Hg is with a mercury retort. They are cheap and easy to build, just use black iron pipe fittings and tubing. Not galvanized or any other metals. I'll try to find a pic of one so you can see how simple they are to build. The proper use of a retort will also allow the user to also capture the values that have been absorbed by the Hg.
If you have Hd dissolved in a nitrate solution, simple hang some copper in the solution and the Hg will form as droplets on the copper and fall to the bottom of the container. It's best to store Hg under a weak to medium strong solution of NaOH so it won't evaporate. The fumes and organic alcohols of Hg are what is dangerous. Use simple precautions to prevent that.
Hg is a good prospecting tool that was improperly used by the early miners and missunderstood by the general populace. It has created a fear and hatred that is undeserved.
Oh, and by the way, what is it that makes the Compact Flouresent Light Bulbs work? Oh, just Hg. Talk about environmental psuedoscience.
Chuck
Rag and Bone
Well-known member
I absolutely hate mercury. I know it is extremely useful and can be used safely in some cases. The trouble arises when people that lack respect for the environment are using it. also people that doubt it's negative effects or don't have the proper education or understanding of ecology.
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I'd have to agree. A good example is mercury that is used in dental amalgam. I have a mouth full of silver fillings, and I have yet to be diagnosed with any ailments related to mercury. Many of my fillings have been in place for well over 50 years. I've also retorted a great deal of the element, and handled it with bare hands numerous times.
The hysteria of mercury reminds me a great deal of the hysteria that accompanies acids in the minds of the ignorant (poorly informed folks).
None of these substances are harmful when applied appropriately. In many cases, they are far safer than an automobile in the hands of the common person, yet I don't hear any outcries to ban people from driving.
Harold
The hysteria of mercury reminds me a great deal of the hysteria that accompanies acids in the minds of the ignorant (poorly informed folks).
None of these substances are harmful when applied appropriately. In many cases, they are far safer than an automobile in the hands of the common person, yet I don't hear any outcries to ban people from driving.
Harold
Glad you agree Harold. Most of the outcry about Hg is only partially deserved. The organic alcohols and fumes are the real danger to Hg. Not the metal itself. How many people remember using Mecricrome on cuts as kids? It's made with Hg.
In my time prospecting, I'd say that 80% of the free Hg I've seen is from decomposing Cinnabar. This is the native ore of Hg. Almost all Au bearing areas of the country have at least a small amount of Cinnabar present. Now in California, the Mother Load area are riddled with Cinnabar veins. The western, NC Au Belt has a lot of Cinnabar present too. I have seen a mixed AuS/HgS ore that had 10 ozpt assay done on it. The assayer about freaked when he did the assay. He had crushed the ore and surrounding rock himself, and used a new crucible, so there was no cross contamination.
Back to Hg, it can be used easily and safely, but is not as effective as some of the leaching, pyrological, and gravometric methods that are avilable today. Check out my posted vids of the popandsonsluice. It's a good example. Believe it or not, most of the really effective leaches and gravity sluices are simply refinements of ancient methods. Hg is one, but it is not as effective as I like. I have seen clean Hg simply roll over 50 mesh Au, while anything larger was picked up. It almost ignores 100 mesh Au. That's too great a values loss for my liking.
Was Hg missused in the past, yes, and it still is today in some of the more backwards countries. Mongolia and Guyana are two notibal examples of missuse. Is that a reason to fear or hate it, no. Hg in the form of Cinnabar can be an excellent indicator mineral to the presence of lode or even placer Au. If it is retorted, significant values can be reovered.
If however you are afraid of it's potential hazards, stay away. Fear will make someone screw up fatser than someone who is overconfidant. I know of 2 people who were so afraid of Hg that their hands would shake uncontrolably when they had a container of Hg in their hands. Both now suffer from the chronic aspects of methyl mercury poisoning from spilling the Hg too often, and being too scared to clean it up properly. Neither is long for this world.
The whole point is Hg is like anything else, used properly, no problem. Used improperly, you wind up with a world of problems. Most safety issues concerning Hg are simply fear based.
That's my 2 cents, let me know if you need change.
Chuck
In my time prospecting, I'd say that 80% of the free Hg I've seen is from decomposing Cinnabar. This is the native ore of Hg. Almost all Au bearing areas of the country have at least a small amount of Cinnabar present. Now in California, the Mother Load area are riddled with Cinnabar veins. The western, NC Au Belt has a lot of Cinnabar present too. I have seen a mixed AuS/HgS ore that had 10 ozpt assay done on it. The assayer about freaked when he did the assay. He had crushed the ore and surrounding rock himself, and used a new crucible, so there was no cross contamination.
Back to Hg, it can be used easily and safely, but is not as effective as some of the leaching, pyrological, and gravometric methods that are avilable today. Check out my posted vids of the popandsonsluice. It's a good example. Believe it or not, most of the really effective leaches and gravity sluices are simply refinements of ancient methods. Hg is one, but it is not as effective as I like. I have seen clean Hg simply roll over 50 mesh Au, while anything larger was picked up. It almost ignores 100 mesh Au. That's too great a values loss for my liking.
Was Hg missused in the past, yes, and it still is today in some of the more backwards countries. Mongolia and Guyana are two notibal examples of missuse. Is that a reason to fear or hate it, no. Hg in the form of Cinnabar can be an excellent indicator mineral to the presence of lode or even placer Au. If it is retorted, significant values can be reovered.
If however you are afraid of it's potential hazards, stay away. Fear will make someone screw up fatser than someone who is overconfidant. I know of 2 people who were so afraid of Hg that their hands would shake uncontrolably when they had a container of Hg in their hands. Both now suffer from the chronic aspects of methyl mercury poisoning from spilling the Hg too often, and being too scared to clean it up properly. Neither is long for this world.
The whole point is Hg is like anything else, used properly, no problem. Used improperly, you wind up with a world of problems. Most safety issues concerning Hg are simply fear based.
That's my 2 cents, let me know if you need change.
Chuck
Here's a piece on gold mining in El Dorado, Venezuela (city slickers perspective, neo-cons beware). It shows some mercury use that would probably fall into the "don't try this at home" category. Nice shots of gold and primitive mining.
http://www.vbs.tv/shows.php?show=626893534
http://www.vbs.tv/shows.php?show=626893534
Seamus
Well-known member
Mercury is a poison that can be safe if handled properly. But it only takes one uneducated person handling Hg to make a bad name for the rest of us. I (along with other prospectors in Washington state) find native Hg in the mountains and turn it in to the state Department of Ecology. The loud mouth environmentalist are crying foul saying that we're putting it in the environment. The state DOE is on OUR side with this issue.
I have no use for the Hg that I find and turn it in. I dare a greenie to join me in the hills and do what I have been doing for years. But their mouth is to big and their hands are softer than a babies butt. Greenies should put up or shut up.
Sorry for politicing.
Hg is safe at room temp on a cool day in a sealed container in the proper hands. Lets keep the education chain going on this one
I have no use for the Hg that I find and turn it in. I dare a greenie to join me in the hills and do what I have been doing for years. But their mouth is to big and their hands are softer than a babies butt. Greenies should put up or shut up.
Sorry for politicing.
Hg is safe at room temp on a cool day in a sealed container in the proper hands. Lets keep the education chain going on this one
Rivers in many parts of the country have natural mercury in them, Yes probably the river you drink from, I know of a individual who drank a cup of mercury trying to commit suicide, (Ps cant flush mercury in commode it wont get past the trap, I am an engineer at hospital) asked the doctor he said it wouldnt hurt him unless he had an ulcer, he just pooped it out. mercury is dangerous in the blood stream, Dont get me wrong mercury is dangerous, if you break a thermometer in your house and its in carpet the mercury boils room temperature (slowly) you will be breathing it for years, the lungs transfer mercury to blood, some metals build to high blood levels and dont flush from your system. many of metals are poisionous in blood, copper is poisionous, but copper doesnt have a bad reputation yet. shoot drink too much water, or breath it is very Deadly. seriously these mining techniques are dangerous, with study and common sense can be done safely and enviromentally. so in mining retort( distill) your mercury this saves your mercury for reuse, and saves your nitric and peoples health. (there are those in our society who ethier dont know or are brainwashed to believe dangers which simply are not there, and others who through ignorance or not careing put society at danger) there are enough level headed non extriemists on this forum to keep us refineing these metals safely our job is to study learn, and dont think you know it all. ps forgive my spelling and grammer.
mcasey,
The links in your posts are beginning to be reported as spamming the board, I think some of the links do look helpful, but spamming is against the policy of the forum, if you feel these links can help members with recovery or refining or safety posting them is fine if your goal is not just advertising a product or service, or Spam, if you have something to sell, or advertise a service related to precious metals post it in the for sale section.
Normally when someone comes here spamming we just ban them and remove the posts, I did not do that with you and your posts because the link I looked at which you posted did gave me doubt, that you may just be here to Spam the board, I did delete the links.
I will also post this message on the threads with the Spam in your posts.
The links in your posts are beginning to be reported as spamming the board, I think some of the links do look helpful, but spamming is against the policy of the forum, if you feel these links can help members with recovery or refining or safety posting them is fine if your goal is not just advertising a product or service, or Spam, if you have something to sell, or advertise a service related to precious metals post it in the for sale section.
Normally when someone comes here spamming we just ban them and remove the posts, I did not do that with you and your posts because the link I looked at which you posted did gave me doubt, that you may just be here to Spam the board, I did delete the links.
I will also post this message on the threads with the Spam in your posts.
