Can you get sick from melting ore?

[ButteCountyCal]

I recently had some ore a friend gave me, he said it had silver, gold and a lot of lead. I started melting it and it turned liquid and like melted. After melting it with a torch for a while it turned into a blob of hard black resin like borax melting down and was really yellow. I crushed it and planed it looking for silver or gold. The next day I was really sick! I still am, like dizzy, upset stomach and not Fealing good. He told me the ore had uranium in it and arsenic after the fact. I never used a mask or anything, I'm used to placer gold where I'm from and we melt gold all the time. I never seen this kind of ore I just figured if it was silver and it would melt into silver or the gold would stick together better so I could pan it. Is there a chance I'm sick from doing this?

 

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[4Strokes1Pick&Poke]

Yes you can! Never melt anything or smelt an ore in a closed environment! Load silver and gold are extracted through a chemical process usually with cyanide solution in a leaching heap. You can not simply "melt" the metal out. If it has other minerals in it like uranium and arsenic the fumes will be toxic and could kill you. There are other methods now that are less toxic but breathing lead fumes under high heat is toxic! Like gallium and other silver leads most contain mercury as well and it very toxic. Leave this extraction to the refineries not at home. Maybe someone can add more specifics in here that's a doctor. You should seek medical if in fact that you feel it was caused by this immediately.

 

[4Strokes1Pick&Poke]

Be safe!

 

[ButteCountyCal]

Do you know what kind of fumes I inhaled and how long I will be sick? Is it just a day or so cuz it's been about 4 days now and I wonder if I did perm damage

 

[kcm]

Read post #2 -- -- -- again!

 

[favored papa]

what kind of fumes? from what you said lets start with lead, Gold, silver, arsenic, radium if the lead alone is not bad enough the gold and silver give off fumes too. Go see a Doc.

 

[austin]

I am not a doctor, just a retired high school chemistry teacher. Go see a doctor, just to be safe. Take the ore with you. And do what kcm said...

 

[smokeythecat]

Time to see a doctor and take the sample with you. I am not a doctor, I would think if there were arsenic or mercury in it, that would act on you quickly. Lead and uranium would take longer. I have melted a bunch of gold, silver and lead in the past with never a problem. Always did it outside. Way back then no one ever used a respirator or mask.

Go to a doctor. Arsenic can take you out really quick.

 

[ButteCountyCal]

It didn't give a smell off so to answer the fume question no. Yes probably see the doctor. The stuff melted real easy who knows. What are the symptoms of arsenic poisoning? Isn't there arsenic in a lot of rocks? If your heating it up outside wouldn't that be enough ventilation?

 

[ButteCountyCal]

Is the yellow in rock gold bubbling? As soon as you hit it with heat it will turn bright silver, melt and then leave that gold, yellow color.

 

[smokeythecat]

Sulfur smells like rotten eggs. Don't know about arsenic. It has a relatively low melting temperature. Native mercury is liquid at air temperature. Antimony is another nasty metal. Poison control center's # is 1 (800) 222-1222. Might give them a call. Some of the heavy metals can do quick, nasty stuff to you. Everything from headache, to nausea, dizziness, destruction of red blood cells, you name it. I knew someone whose friend died (in her 30's) from making copper jewelry. (A lot of jewelry over time, by the way.)

 

[kcm]

It didn't give a smell off so to answer the fume question no. Yes probably see the doctor. The stuff melted real easy who knows. What are the symptoms of arsenic poisoning? Isn't there arsenic in a lot of rocks? If your heating it up outside wouldn't that be enough ventilation?

Not necessarily. You have to make certain the fumes are going AWAY FROM you - and every other living thing!

 

[favored papa]

what do lead fumes smell like? what dose Mercury smell like? If you are sure the fumes are not an issue why are you asking, us. You have gotten good answers from experienced people but what the heck you probably just got the flu the same day, right. Nothing to worry about. And no just because something is yellow and bubbles dose not make it Gold. Good luck with that.

 

[kcm]

One more thing:

"I never used a mask or anything,..."

A "mask" would do you no good - might as well not wear anything at all. You would need a respirator, but one that has the capacity of filtering out the potential fumes that you might encounter. Without knowing what all is in the ore, your best bet would be to make certain the wind is blowing solidly away from you and others (and NOT to your neighbor's house), or to just look at the purdy ore sittin' there on your desk.

We cannot stress to you enough how dangerous this can be. I'm not saying you're going to die, though that still "might" happen. (yes, it "can be" that dangerous) What I'm saying is, this should ONLY be done by persons who have taken the time to study and learn about what they're doing. When it comes to melting metal (including that within ores), that is a form of metallurgy. It's a science all on its own. When melting ores, there is also the chemistry involved. It's a lot of science.

I, personally, have no experience in that area. However, I have studied this and much other material, as well as having the benefit of being a veteran firefighter. Trying to smelt without proper knowledge, skills or equipment is literally taking your life in your own hands. If that doesn't matter to you, so be it - nothing we can do to stop you. Yet I wouldn't be able to sleep without knowing I had at least tried my best to warn you of VERY REAL dangers! Mercury fumes can kill quickly. Someone else said that Arsenic fumes can kill quickly, which also makes sense. Lead is dangerous. Toxic to breath fumes? Depends on your exposure. Lots of other unseen dangers as well. If you know what you're doing, it's relatively safe. Not knowing what you're doing, well, let's just say the Surgeon General doesn't even take the time to warn against the hazards of breathing such fumes, as it would probably be too late by the time you took it seriously.


"Do you know what kind of fumes I inhaled and how long I will be sick? Is it just a day or so cuz it's been about 4 days now and I wonder if I did perm damage "

That is very possible. With some chemicals, all it takes is a tiny whiff to kill a person. It may not happen immediately, but even worse, can be a slow and agonizing dead/illness.
Please, PLEASE use caution.

 

[smokeythecat]

I agree with KCM, a paper dust mask just won't work.

 

[favored papa]

Here is an experiment, Go build a camp, fire stand next to it. Even if there is a steady wind it seams sooner or later the smoke wisps around and you get a wif of smoke up your nose and in your eyes. If you are burning the mercury off your placer gold on that fire you also just got a nose full of Mercury vapor also known as fumes.
Basic science every thing goes from solid to liquid to gas, as you heat it. I hope you take the good advice to see a doc today.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Highgradesilver Question? Do you want to continue to be able to post? Please read our rules and no more insults...

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

A word to the wise, signing up under multiple names and using multiple names will get you banned.....

 

[hvacker]

I believe some metals will have little affect like steel. I remember when plumbers ( the name comes from plumbo, latin for lead) melted and poured lead to seal joints in cast iron pipe. I never heard of problems but could be like asbestos, no one's talking.
I used to do a lot of silver brazing with copper. Someone forgot to mention the rod contained cadmium.
Back a ways tin/lead solder (50/50) was used to solder copper water pipes. Then the industry went to 95/5. 95% tin 5% antimony. I wonder what was worse the lead or the antimony?

If exposed to things like this I had a xray tech after getting a test with a radioactive contrast soution suggested drinking a lot of water for a few days. "That stuff tends to settle in the liver" he said.

 

[GA_Boy]

Not only get sick, you can die from breathing certain fumes. You are still living after four days so that's a good sign. If you breathed any fumes it's hard to know IF and WHAT damage you did. Make a note to yourself-----"Do not do this again".
Marvin