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Techniques for CollectorsCleaning dust off mercury

26th Nov 2006 11:55 UTCBarry Flannery Expert

I'm wondering anyone knows how to go about cleaning dust particles of mercury droplets?

Please, I do not want a long list of how dangerous mercury is...just an answer.


Thanks,


Barry

26th Nov 2006 13:05 UTCChester S. Lemanski, Jr.

Barry,


I've never seen fuzzy mercury droplets. This may be a new species.

26th Nov 2006 13:07 UTCJolyon Ralph Founder

I'd use a tin of compressed air, holding it way back and moving it slowly closer and closer while firing until you get to the point where you're shifting the dust but not the mercury.


Oh, and of COURSE do this outside, then put it in a sealed box to stop it getting dusty again (and to protect you from going insane).


Jolyon

22nd Dec 2006 08:11 UTCFranklin Roberts

The old-timer's method to clean mercury involves squeezing it through a chamois. I think you'd need a lot of it to begin with though. Another possibility, freeze it with a piece of dry ice and dust it off before it thaws. One word of caution (not health-related), be sure to remove any gold or silver rings before doing this. Once mercury contacts these, you'll lose the mercury to amalgamation and ruin the polish on the ring.


Frank

22nd Dec 2006 09:14 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

To remove dust from native mercury specimens (while keeping the specimen intact), gently swish it around in water with a little detergent, while keeping the specimen upright so the Hg drops don't fall off.


DON'T use an ultrasonic cleaner! The water will instantly turn black with millions of microscopic dispersed Hg particles, and no more native Hg will be left on the specimen. I hate it when that happens ;-((
 
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