Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Public Service Announcement - Uranium

Public Service Announcement - Uranium

Dan Vizine - 14-4-2014 at 15:10

I am in no way connected to the following wesite, but after a drought that seemed interminable, United Nuclear finally has Uranium metal back in stock. It's only the second time in my history of checking that it's been there. So, for those interested in U while it can still be traded, $20/g shipped is a good deal. You do have to buy at least 3 grams, though.

[Edited on 14-4-2014 by Dan Vizine]

blogfast25 - 15-4-2014 at 04:39

Get it now before they get raided again!

MrHomeScientist - 15-4-2014 at 05:32

One step ahead of you! I would have had it yesterday but nobody was around to sign for it. Should be in today!

blogfast25 - 15-4-2014 at 08:57

Quote: Originally posted by MrHomeScientist

One step ahead of you! I would have had it yesterday but nobody was around to sign for it. Should be in today!

What do you plan to do with it?

Insert photos here.

copperastic - 15-4-2014 at 09:05

dang it. My dads at work so i probably wont get any. By the way its jumped to 50$.

Dan Vizine - 15-4-2014 at 13:55

Fret not Copperastic,

The price didn't jump. It's $49 for a min of 3 grams plus $10 postage (give or take) so that's $20/g in lots of 3 grams, or, $60 if you prefer.

aga - 15-4-2014 at 14:16

Strange. I would like some, but cannot understand Why.

HgDinis25 - 15-4-2014 at 14:36

I would definitely love to get my hands on some, but I'm in Europe.
Oh, btw, by reading this post, this video popped in my head:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRdZouC7CRo&list=UU8rrF2J...

Just posted it out of curiosity...

copperastic - 15-4-2014 at 14:59

Oh yeah Dan. I didn't read close enough.

MrHomeScientist - 15-4-2014 at 20:06

Got my 3g of uranium metal today! Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.

Photo 1 is fresh out of its packaging - it's shipped in a sealed, argon-filled pouch inside a plastic bottle. Photo 2 is after depositing it in its display vial filled with mineral oil. Photo 3 is another angle, where you can see that from some angles at least, it's actually quite shiny. Looks like pretty good quality metal! It's also amazingly dense; about the same as mercury!

I don't have any plans for it, though. I wanted it as a display sample for my element collection. If anyone knows of any particularly interesting experiments to perform, though, I'd be interested to hear them!

Bezaleel - 16-4-2014 at 03:29

Quote: Originally posted by HgDinis25

I would definitely love to get my hands on some, but I'm in Europe.
Oh, btw, by reading this post, this video popped in my head:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRdZouC7CRo&list=UU8rrF2J...

Just posted it out of curiosity...

Video - quite irresponsible to neutralise an acid uranium solution with carbonate outside of a fume hood, if you ask me. Personally, I really don't want any aerosoles in my environment of an element that is both highly toxic and radio active.

hyfalcon - 16-4-2014 at 03:43

I would be willing to bet that that's pure 238 so it's not really radioactive. It takes a good concentration of 235 before the sample becomes dangerous. Toxicity aside of course. I'm like you though aerosoles of any kind floating around needs to be contained in some way.

HgDinis25 - 16-4-2014 at 05:12

Actually, in my opinion, it is best to work outside with a good respirator than in your fume hood. The aerosoles outside could be easily dissipated by wind and atmosphere (and the quantities would be to small to make any environment impact) and you would always be protected by a mask. Now in you're fumehood, you could start to get tiny amounts of residue there, something I wouldn't like.

But, like hyfalcon stated, it's probably the common 238 anyway, already present in a lot of rocks, in small quantities. I wouldn't call it more dangerous than mercury.

Pyro - 16-4-2014 at 05:29

Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25

Insert photos here.

first:

then:

and finally:

good enough blogfast?

EDIT: at Hg's request this has turned into a political statement

[Edited on 16-4-2014 by Pyro]

HgDinis25 - 16-4-2014 at 06:26

Pyro, you could also include some pics of the fission chamber and your neutron donator. Also, be sure to post afterwards pictures of the explosion site.

deltaH - 16-4-2014 at 11:25

Quote: Originally posted by MrHomeScientist

... It's also amazingly dense; about the same as mercury! ...

Actually, it shares a near identical density to gold or tungsten, both of which are far denser than mercury, but don't go getting any funny ideas now

[Edited on 16-4-2014 by deltaH]

MrHomeScientist - 16-4-2014 at 11:54

My mistake, I thought mercury was ~19g/cm3. It is indeed almost identical to gold in density.

By the way, that graphic of the "ground zero ocean" is absurdly big. The Chixulub crater from the impact that wiped out the dinosaurs was nowhere near that big, so nothing manmade could even come close to that. A crater like that almost seems like an event that'd make another moon...

HgDinis25 - 16-4-2014 at 11:59

MrHomeScientist , feel the power of a good expensive nuclear weapon xD
Now seriously, probably he used 4 or 5 in strategic places to whipe off the peninsula...

blogfast25 - 16-4-2014 at 12:59

Quote: Originally posted by Bezaleel

This nut has been discussed earlier. It gets much worse as the video goes on.

@Pyro: what's your point and what is the first photo about? MrH S is correct about the size of that fictitious crater.

Quote: Originally posted by HgDinis25

But, like hyfalcon stated, it's probably the common 238 anyway, already present in a lot of rocks, in small quantities. I wouldn't call it more dangerous than mercury.

MrH S: does the sample come with a specification? Natural uranium is not particularly dangerous either. Beware as always of particulate matter.

[Edited on 16-4-2014 by blogfast25]

The Volatile Chemist - 16-4-2014 at 13:13

Funny, their site's down now. Bob Lazar probably got himself arrested again...

Pyro - 16-4-2014 at 13:20

the first picture is money as you would need shitloads of money to realize this, the last pic is more of a joke.

blogfast25 - 16-4-2014 at 13:37

Quote: Originally posted by The Volatile Chemist

Funny, their site's down now. Bob Lazar probably got himself arrested again...

The Feds are now frantically browsing receipts, cop copters at the ready to apprehend customers. Run, Mr H S, RUN!

IrC - 17-4-2014 at 13:57

They came back online around 5 AM this morning. Have not checked to see if they still are.

Dan Vizine - 17-4-2014 at 18:22

They are online and selling U as of 10 PM EST Thursday.

BobD1001 - 17-4-2014 at 18:56

I have to give in a bit to Blogfast's post... I would be concerned to order from a company that has a history of being raided. We all may know how benign U238 is, aside from its heavy metal potentials, but in this regard it is about the same order of dangerous as Lead; However, if they were raided again, and the Feds saw who purchased the Uranium, regardless of how benign it may be in our minds, I'm quite sure they will come pounding on your door as well, simply because it is Uranium, and that word alone scares the living daylights out of them.

IrC - 17-4-2014 at 20:44

Don't be too paranoid, that was some years ago and it was concerning firework materials. I highly doubt anyone is going to worry about small experimenter quantities of DU.

Texium - 17-4-2014 at 21:07

I really want to buy some, but I can't afford it myself right now.
Maybe I can convince my parents to buy some for me. "Hey Mom, see, I'd like to buy some uranium… it's just kind of pricy and also disappears from the market quite frequently, so I have to buy it now. No, it's not too dangerous!"
Well, it would definitely be nice to have for my element collection.

blogfast25 - 18-4-2014 at 04:34

Quote: Originally posted by IrC

Don't be too paranoid, that was some years ago and it was concerning firework materials. I highly doubt anyone is going to worry about small experimenter quantities of DU.

And how do you know it's DU?

Dan Vizine - 18-4-2014 at 05:37

You think they don't monitor this website already?

Yes, it's truer and truer that we are evolving into a country where privacy is being consumed by fear. But we aren't a fully actualized police state quite yet and since no law specifically forbids my interests (as long as I don't violate waste disposal practices or create an imminent threat ) I'm not much worried.

Besides, really, which is more dangerous, dispersal of a pound of thorium nitrate or a pound of explosive shoved into a pressure cooker by a disturbed young turd?

Last time I looked, thorium fluoride, oxide, nitrate and metal were all actively being sold on eBay in modest quantities. A year ago, or maybe longer, one guy sold a one pound chunk of U.

I think the authorities are smart enough to prioritize this issue and realize that there are many more dangerous things out there deserving their attention, like decommissioned medical equipment with really "hot" material. Sure, there's an approved way to dispose of things like that, but we all know that some companies circumvent that daily to save money.

That being said, an eBay friend was approached and talked to by [unspecified] officials when he was selling multiple bottles of thoria of all sizes over a period of time. He stopped offering it not because of legal persecution, but because it just wasn't moving well.

Part of the reason I dropped my pseudonymous "Zan Divine" moniker is that I'm not really concerned that I'm viewed as a threat by anybody and the realization that if a law enforcement official wants the true name of the account holder, they probably just send a request to the NSA. By the time I leave this mortal coil, those of you still around will be spied on by your TV, the camera in your laptop, rooftop cameras springing up like dandelions, recon. satellites, your cellphone, your car's gps and probably an implanted chip you were told was for medical information.

Privacy is like smoke, these days, very easily circumvented. It's an illusion. It will barely exist in the future. Personally, I'm very glad to have been born in the early 50's and to have lived most of my life without the "absolutely essential" connectedness they hand us today. I love/hate my cellphone, with love losing the battle. It's just my electronic leash so someone can pull my chain anytime they feel so inclined.

Pardon the rant, child of the 60's y'know....

[Edited on 18-4-2014 by Dan Vizine]

MrHomeScientist - 18-4-2014 at 05:46

Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25

Quote: Originally posted by The Volatile Chemist

Funny, their site's down now. Bob Lazar probably got himself arrested again...

The Feds are now frantically browsing receipts, cop copters at the ready to apprehend customers. Run, Mr H S, RUN!

LOL time to retreat to my hidden underground bunker!

I don't have the paperwork on me right now, but the label specified it was U-238. Came with an MSDS too, which they don't usually provide. I'll look it over later tonight and see if I missed anything interesting about it.

IrC - 18-4-2014 at 09:10

Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25

Quote: Originally posted by IrC

Don't be too paranoid, that was some years ago and it was concerning firework materials. I highly doubt anyone is going to worry about small experimenter quantities of DU.

And how do you know it's DU?

Because it is a solid chunk of U metal and no way are they selling weapons grade. Pure refined U would not make it to the surplus market before processing since said processing is the reason they extracted the metal from ore to begin with.

The Volatile Chemist - 18-4-2014 at 11:05

Quote: Originally posted by MrHomeScientist

Quote: Originally posted by blogfast25

Quote: Originally posted by The Volatile Chemist

Funny, their site's down now. Bob Lazar probably got himself arrested again...

The Feds are now frantically browsing receipts, cop copters (lol) at the ready to apprehend customers. Run, Mr H S, RUN!

So you're that kind of person eh? I always thought the "home" part of your name was a lie!!!

[Edited on 4-18-2014 by The Volatile Chemist]

blogfast25 - 18-4-2014 at 11:41

Quote: Originally posted by IrC

[ecause it is a solid chunk of U metal and no way are they selling weapons grade.

And of course there's nothing in between natural and weapons grade?

IrC - 18-4-2014 at 12:29

Think about what sources UN would have to obtain U metal for sale considering they would have acquired it from some form of surplus outlet for such things. We are not talking about what Sigma bought from a government source to sell at high prices to University Labs with the required licensing.

[Edited on 4-19-2014 by IrC]

jock88 - 18-4-2014 at 13:52

Just wondering do DU rounds (the bits that fly out of the gun) turn up in places like Iraq etc. Some of them must survive the impact of landing (say in sand) if they travel for a time and slow up a bit?

copperastic - 18-4-2014 at 14:17

Jock88 that could be how UN gets them.

IrC - 18-4-2014 at 15:28

There was a large industrial source used for aircraft ballast, being trended away from in later years. Doubt they use it in new aircraft anymore. If I had to guess this was the DU source. If they no longer put it in aircraft it ends up somewhere for sale.

blogfast25 - 19-4-2014 at 05:10

Don't forget that large market for lead balloons. Their non-flying properties are greatly enhanced by DU!

The thought of UN staff trotting the Iraqi desert scouting for undamaged DU armour piercing penetrators really made my day though...

Dan Vizine - 19-4-2014 at 07:27

Quote: Originally posted by IrC

There was a large industrial source used for aircraft ballast, being trended away from in later years. Doubt they use it in new aircraft anymore. If I had to guess this was the DU source. If they no longer put it in aircraft it ends up somewhere for sale.

Spot on, my friend. More likely than recovered projectiles. Tanks used DU for bolt-on armor plate additions during the Iraqi conflicts.

Projectiles, armor and weights seem to account for almost all DU except for the DU they wrap around fusion bombs to get fission-fusion-fission bombs like the Tzar Bomba (sp?) and other too-powerful-to-be-really-practical nukes.

You can make DU produce an enormous explosion if you have a fusion bomb for initiation. In fact, the fission yield is larger than the fusion yield in 3-stage nukes which is contrary to what most people believe. Sometimes much larger. If they had wrapped the Tsar model in DU instead of Pb, the estimated yield would have been ~100 megatons (nearly double the actual). DU fissions very nicely in a deluge of nearly relativistic neutrons.

[Edited on 19-4-2014 by Dan Vizine]

Large Amounts of Uranium

gdflp - 27-7-2014 at 07:34

Just went on UN's website and saw something. Now United Nuclear will sell you 1 POUND of uranium metal for the low low price of $4500.00. Anyone interested?

blogfast25 - 27-7-2014 at 13:02

Wow. That's quite bizarre...

prof_genius - 29-7-2014 at 10:07

I think you could find an aviation scrap yard that has a 747-100, and ask for the counterweights. They are made of depleted uranium, and as there are few 747-100s in operation and the fact that U counterweights have been phased out in the late 60's early 70's, they would probably not cost that much(I think).

APO - 29-7-2014 at 10:20

New! Large quantity uranium available here.

Side note: I wish there was a scrap yard near bye, so I could get some counter weights.

prof_genius - 29-7-2014 at 10:36

I only know of it being used on 747-100's but it was probably used on 707's, the problem that you could face is the weights gone. I know some scrap companies give them to the EPA.

Brain&Force - 29-7-2014 at 13:43

I believe some Cessna 172s also have DU counterweights, as do some cranes. Though it's probably not pure (may have some other heavy metals mixed in).

prof_genius - 29-7-2014 at 13:51

I suppose only the early models would have the U counterweights, they use a mixture of heavy metals now.

neptunium - 29-7-2014 at 18:45

i will never understand the paranoia about radioactive materials...... virus and bacteria ok
but weackly active source? no

get a clue would ya

APO - 29-7-2014 at 22:33

As long as it's mostly DU, in my opinion it's useful.