Mercury when in the wrong hands, can create all sorts of problems. So let me start off by telling you to always be aware of where your mercury is. Do not dispose of it in any conventional way, whatsoever. You need to take mercury containing objects to a recycling center.
Before you read this, let me make it entirely clear. You SHOULD NOT MESS AROUND WITH MERCURY. The only reason I have written this post is to show those who are dumb enough to try it the most proper way to do so. PLEASE DON’T DO IT! Mercury easily becomes airborne and when entered into the body will slowly kill you. It takes days for you to notice, and before you can do anything it is too late. Proper mercury disposal should be done at a recycling center, and only a recycling center.
Before you even touch mercury, take off all jewelry, as mercury will eat away and dissolve in silver and gold, literally ruining it. Mercury will ruin your gold rings, did you know!
Despite it’s bad reputation, mercury (Hg) is a very useful and necessary metal (like uranium, sort of). When taken care of responsibly, it is no more dangerous than lead (Pb). (A few years back, my son’s entire school was closed for a day because a child broke a mercury thermometer in science class the day before, but that’s another story.)
Mercury can be commonly found in Hg thermometers, Hg switches, Hg batteries, and as a gas in fluorescent tubing. It only takes a little volume to have a pound, as mercury is denser than lead but not quite as dense as gold.
So what to do with your mercury, weither it is in a switch, a glass tube, or what have you.
- Find a small coffee can with a air tight lid. NOT AN ALUMINUM CONTAINER!
- Clean out the can.
- Weight the can
- Break open your mercury containing device.
- Carefully allow all mercury to flow into the can.
- MARK IT AS DANGER/HAZARD/TOXIC SO NOBODY MISTAKES IT FOR COFFEE AND DRINKS IT!
- Save it in the can until you have repeated the above steps for all mercury containing things you own.
- Weight the can+mercury, and subtract the weight of just the can. Now you now how much mercury you have!
- 1 pound of mercury is about 2.25 tablespoons. 1 Gallon of mercury weights 115 pounds!
Things to do with your new found poison/commodity:
- Sell on craigslist (Be sure to read up on local laws regarding selling mercury) Remember: keep the mercury in an AIR TIGHT CONTAINER!
- Save for cool science experiments! Mercury is about as fun as it is dangerous.
- Slip it into an enemy’s drink. (just kidding…(or am I?))
- REFINE GOLD!
- Destroy your rings
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
How or where can I find a buyer for a significant amount of mercury? Many flasks.
ive never done this myself, but check out http://www.virginmercury.com/purchasing-importing.html
Hi,
So I am interested in getting into scrapping metal. I have been doing it for years in small scale. I would like to know where you got those scrap prices? Where can you take computer parts and get that kind of place. It would be great if you could get me large companies that would be willing to take large amounts of those components. Are the prices of the computer parts per pound or per unit. Please label the axis better. I am really interested!
Thanks
The prices are in units of pounds. The precious metals are priced per troy ounce.
If you are looking for a scrap buyer, you will need to find one that is close to your area. Check out my write up on scrap computers for more information.
Another question. can you get the prices for LI, NmH, NiCd. batteries?
Thanks
I do not have current prices, unfortunately.
Hi…………,in my our forest Land there are some minerals like Mercury,green tamalen,rubi,diamond,gold and so many …..will u please arrange to visit in Tanzania for father investigations?
hope to hear soon from you..i wish you a good day.
Sure, why not!
Hi..thank you for replying my message.Due to seriousness of my message i aspect to hear much from you.
You reply very simple with less seriousness.If you are interested on this contact me through my email.
Hope to hear soon from you..
T H A N K S
I have a small bottle of mercury im in Missouri, is there a scraping co. around or buyer?
I have some mercury that i want to sell, but not sure on how to go about it. I live in Australia so i’m not sure if i’m even allowed to have it. any info??
These types of sales are best done on a small scale, in cash.
I am an electrician and have always saved even the smallest amount of copper. I took some float switches apart and carefully removed the mercury and stored it in a small plastic sample bottle. Is that ok? I also have been saving the contacts out of motor starters, what percent silver are they. Is there a market for the mercury or the motor contacts? Thanks, your help is greatly appreciated.
did you recycle mercury batteries (botton cells)?