Purify lead

[JLF]

When melting the lead to form the ingots, the lead has impurities. Is any substance added to properly separate these impurities?

[Winger Ed.]

Get it a little hotter than the melting temp. then flux, scrape the bottom & sides and stir like it owes you money.
All the trash & such will float to the top so you can skim it off.

I've done that with the dirtiest Lead from buried cable sheathing,
and even the nastiest Lead from old school cast Iron sewer pipe joints.

After 2-3 go arounds, it'd didn't even smell like crap any more.:bigsmyl2:

[JimB..]

It depends upon what the impurities are.
Dirt, ash, and other things that are not metal are easily removed by fluxing and skimming as described above.
If the impurity is another metal, for example tin, zinc, or copper that is a part of the melted lead alloy, there is no way to readily and safely remove it in a home environment.

[JLF]

What do you use as a flux? Could it be candles?

[414gates]

What do you use as a flux? Could it be candles?

I use ash, and I stir with a charred wooden stick.

The dirtiest I've had was a blob of lead that was spilt on the floor in a foundry, it had bits of sand, etc, which just floats off the melt anyway.

I bought some sulphur once, in case of zinc contamination, but so far I've only used it for a chamber cast.

[deces]

Here is a nice thread on that.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?63082-Zinc-Removal-with-Sulfur-Report

[JLF]

Thank you very much for your help.