Lead ore

[Kyregular]

I have access to a LOT of lead ore. I know its not a simple process to smelt it out, but does anyone have any experience, and is it worth it being soft lead?

[JimB..]

Google makes it seem hard, but if I had some I’d throw it in a pot, turn up the heat and see what happens. If I got anything I’d then test for zinc.

[Winger Ed.]

Its simple enough the Romans were doing it 2,000 years ago.

[Kyregular]

Google makes it seem hard, but if I had some I’d throw it in a pot, turn up the heat and see what happens. If I got anything I’d then test for zinc.

Yeah, the zinc is what I'd be afraid of, but I heard it can be fluxed out with sulfur.

[dtknowles]

Its simple enough the Romans were doing it 2,000 years ago.

The Turks were doing it 8000 years ago.

Tim

[Winger Ed.]

The Turks were doing it 8000 years ago.Tim

And some older folks probably taught them how to do it too.

[dtknowles]

And some older folks probably taught them how to do it too.

Yeah, all you have to do is throw the Galena into a fire and pick the lead out of the cold ashes. They weren't really Turks then probably Thracian

[Winger Ed.]

Depending on where they were, it might have accumulated in their fire pits naturally by accident.
After a few thousand years, somebody started figuring out different things they could do with it.

[AnnieOakley]

Last night we watched an episode of Tudor Monastery Farm on Prime Video and they were extracting lead from ore they dug themselves. The process looked surprisingly simple. They also extracted salt from a lead pan.

[GregLaROCHE]

You could always get one of these.
https://youtu.be/WoBPuEMWxAI

[JimB..]

Yeah, the zinc is what I'd be afraid of, but I heard it can be fluxed out with sulfur.

That is my understanding as well, but at that point it seems like the cost and effort will exceed the cost of buying scrap lead.

The ancients had low labor costs and no alternative sources.

[MrWolf]

Think I remember reading you need to watch out for fumes. Was awhile ago so... Good luck

[toallmy]

I have access to a LOT of lead ore. I know its not a simple process to smelt it out, but does anyone have any experience, and is it worth it being soft lead?

Are you talking about ore from a mine , or scrap lead ? If you're talking about scrap lead melting it and removing the debris is easily done .

[Dunross]

If it were me I'd throw a chunk into a hot fire and watch what it does. If any metal smelts out then it's probably a high enough content to put some effort into it.

[NuJudge]

I studied the processing of Lead Oxide, and turning it into Lead metal, while in college. A Blast Furnace is used, similar to those used to turn Iron Oxide into Pig Iron. I cannot imagine a more polluting process, working with finely divided Lead Oxide & metallic Lead, and with a lot of Carbon Monoxide doing the conversion.

Things would be somewhat less worrisome if you were working with naturally occurring metallic Lead. There, you would just melt it.

[dtknowles]

I studied the processing of Lead Oxide, and turning it into Lead metal, while in college. A Blast Furnace is used, similar to those used to turn Iron Oxide into Pig Iron. I cannot imagine a more polluting process, working with finely divided Lead Oxide & metallic Lead, and with a lot of Carbon Monoxide doing the conversion.

Things would be somewhat less worrisome if you were working with naturally occurring metallic Lead. There, you would just melt it.

Good lead ore is Lead Sulfide not Lead Oxide.

Tim

[beagle]

They were probably old bullet caster too. We go back a long way>/beagle

And some older folks probably taught them how to do it too.

[rockshooter]

What name did they post under? Might want to check the archives.
Loren

[BattleRife]

Modern smelting of ore requires the ore be mixed with a reducing agent (carbon) and a flux (typically calcium carbonate and metal oxides such as silica). The mix is heated hot enough that the flux melts to a slag, which is 1200°C, minimum.

Ancient processes were done at lower temperatures, but resulted in higher impurity contents and very long smelting times.

Good lead ore is Lead Sulfide not Lead Oxide.

Sulphide ores are usually roasted to oxides before smelting, as carbon reducing agents won't liberate metal from sulphur.

[Traffer]

Yup ...high sulfur content...gotta roast it out...you could do it in the back yard if you made a furnace that would force air THROUGH the burning sulfured ore... A little messy and you would probably kill all the neighbors within a couple of blocks but It can be done!
Make sure you film it so we can watch.