Does anyone know a way to extract mercury from HgS other that using a retort. I don't have access to nitric either. I would like to remove the mercury from my black sands and keep it as Hg the liquid, but I'd rather not mess around with a retort and mercury vapors unless its necessary. Will any other acid or reaction make some soluble salt that I can precipitate the mercury using zinc powder or something?
Recovering Hg Chemically
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Probably what you have is a black powder.
The red powder pure HgS should decompose in hot Sulfuric Acid into Hg and Sulfur.
Also decomposes in aqua regia, which you do not have nitric....
If by any chance you get it into solution, it is easy to drop it with a copper rod. it will deposit on the surface and later you can get it off with a piece of cloth or chamois.
The difficult part will be to get it into solution.
The red powder pure HgS should decompose in hot Sulfuric Acid into Hg and Sulfur.
Also decomposes in aqua regia, which you do not have nitric....
If by any chance you get it into solution, it is easy to drop it with a copper rod. it will deposit on the surface and later you can get it off with a piece of cloth or chamois.
The difficult part will be to get it into solution.
I'm not an expert here but if you have mercury in solution from black sands and drop it with copper you will also drop all your PMs with it I think. It will depend on what you dissolved it in as to what PMs you may have in solution. I wouldn't do anything until you hear from someone more knowledgeable than me. Nitric can be a bad mix with mercury.
I've been reading and saw that hypochlorous acid is supposed to oxidize sulfides. Can anyone confirm this, and whether it can be done at (or around) room temperature? And whether it can be done with mercury?
FeS + 4HOCl -> FeSO4 + 4HCl
does this work as
HgS + 4HOCl -> HgSO4 + 4HCl
also?
Thanks
FeS + 4HOCl -> FeSO4 + 4HCl
does this work as
HgS + 4HOCl -> HgSO4 + 4HCl
also?
Thanks
Well, I guess you are talking about cinnabar.
I read article that cinnabar dissolve only in Aqua Regia, and no reaction with Nitric Acid.
And it is possible to drop the cinnabar by zinc powder.
I have just found a red mineral. I put it in nitric acid and nothing happen. I added some HCl and the red color dissapear. My zinc powder just arrived this afternoon. So, I gonna try to drop the Hg with Zinc powder tomorrow.
Will inform you tomorrow!
I read article that cinnabar dissolve only in Aqua Regia, and no reaction with Nitric Acid.
And it is possible to drop the cinnabar by zinc powder.
I have just found a red mineral. I put it in nitric acid and nothing happen. I added some HCl and the red color dissapear. My zinc powder just arrived this afternoon. So, I gonna try to drop the Hg with Zinc powder tomorrow.
Will inform you tomorrow!
