[Jewelry making - Article 00117] - Re: [Orchid] Collecting gold with mercury

[Doc]

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>     Doc, you have a great sense of humor. I'm assuming it's that and
>     not the alternative, which is that you are insane..... 

    Well, maybe a little of both? 

>     There are so many reasons not to do that it's hard to know where to
>     start---- Aside from the obvious, which is the death-wish part.
>     Just now I priced mercury at about $60/100gm, or $116/lb. You could
>     have "balls rolling around on your desk", I guess, but how are you
>     going to do that? Train them? Then you're going to touch them, get
>     them in your clothes, have them on the floor, in your hair - such a
>     concept. 

    Actually, if you've ever had any mercury around precious metal dust
    and grindings, you'd know that it quickly solidifies as it amalgams
    and before long becomes a hard, solid lump. 

>     Then your brain will slowly rot away - mercury's a neuological
>     toxin.... 

    Mercury itself isn't really a problem. The hazards arise when
    mercury is vaporized (which it can at room temperature.) 

>     Finally, mercury isn't going to "burn off". It's simply going to
>     boil and vaporize, and then it's going to cool off and un-vaporize,
>     and deposit elemental mercury all over your yard, your fruit trees,
>     your tomatos, your water table, your dog. 

    Yeah I understand the fear, but mercury is an element and exists in
    nature. And it won't "un-vaporize" all on its own like water vapor. 

>     Such a sense of humor!!!! I'm not "mercury paranoid" either - it
>     just is what it is - fairly difficult to handle because of it's
>     surface tension, and an insidious toxin that's extremely difficult
>     to get rid of. Not to mention it's not so cheap. 

    I'll concede the last point you made. 
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