G’day. On re-reading my posting about gold recovery from low
content ores etc, I see I should have mentioned the very toxic
properties of mercury. Even at room temperature the liquid metal
gives off an invisible vapour and this is dangerous. For instance
if mercury is spilt on the floor, very tiny drops of it can get
into places where it can’t be removed - or even seen. But it
still sits there giving off poisonous vapour; and it may even be
absorbed through the skin with bad effects on the brain and body.
Remember the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party? Well, people who made hats
in those days used mercury chemicals, and slowly absorbed them
during a lifetime. They began to behave in a very odd manner. So;
all hatters were supposed to be mad! In the days when I was a
chemistry technician I must have purified and distilled very many
litres of the stuff. Perhaps that might explain certain things
to those who know me? But if you use mercury, do be very
careful of it, and if you do spill some, after cleaning up as
best you can, sprinkle powdered sulphur about, particularly in
floor cracks which will absorb the vapour. Sulphur is available
from most garden shops very cheaply, but Americans - who karnt
spel - spel it ‘sulfer’! Cheers,
/\
/ / John Burgess,
/ /
/ //\ @John_Burgess2
/ / \ \
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