Super fine dust on a batch of cast boolits

[Don1357]

I'm reorganizing my casting area. Most of my cast boolits look normal but there is one batch of large 45-70 boolits that developed a super fine coating of 'dust'. It is so fine that if I rub the boolit it is like a coating of silver paint. I don't think it is lead oxide as the boolits are still like-new shinny but whatever it may be it is fine enough to where I'm concerned over toxic contamination. I could probably blow hard and send the fine dust flying.

What could this be?

[Slugster]

Oxidization would be my guess.

[scattershot]

Mine, too. I don’t worry a lot about it, though.

[Recycled bullet]

Maybe it's carpenter bee dust? What's going on above it and nearby? If it's white or yellow it may be lead oxidation please don't breathe that.

[Don1357]

I agree that it is done sort of oxidation but the dust is so fine and copious that it looks like a heavy metal contamination hazard. And as stated none of my other boolits look like these

323804323803

These were WW with a bit of tin

[Tripplebeards]

The sinkers in my old tackle boxes used to look like this. I blamed it on moisture and humidity along with up-and-down temps. I powder coat all my fishing sinkers now, so I don’t have to worry about it.

[Dusty Bannister]

What is the source of your tin? Babbitt, pewter, solder? It appears to be an external formation, and lead oxide would not leave the silver smear. Were these bullets allowed to become wet and than are dried out?

[john.k]

Lead forms a seal coat of basic lead carbonate .....this is why shiny lead on a roof goes dark,and lasts for 500 years.

[Winger Ed.]

I've seen a lot of old Lead, but never anything quite like that.
I sort of looks like something airborne settled out on them.

[hc18flyer]

I had some 12 year old round balls in a tin with lubed patches that had a crusty white oxidation on them. Looked similar?

[TheGrimReaper]

I would guess leadoxide

[Hannibal]

Did you perhaps water-drop these bullets? Had a problem with that myself. So that's why I'm asking.

[mehavey]

...guess leadoxide
That would've been my initial thought, but the shiny coating rubbed
off on his finger looks like nothing I've ever seen before.

.. . almost like heavy layer of motor mica.

[Cast10]

I’ve been watching this thread. I’ve searched some sources and have discovered this one from a chemistry site:

It is probably lead carbonate PbCO3, because it is white, and lead(II) oxide is yellow, and lead(IV) oxide is brown

I’ve also found it may be caused by storing lead outside/basement/in a moisture environment. You should was hands very good as to not ingest.

[littlejack]

Is it slick when rubbing your fingers together?
Sure looks like powdered mica on your finger to me.

[MT Gianni]

Store them in gallon ziplock bags and keep them closed. Alternative is to shoot them sooner.

[45workhorse]

Is it slick when rubbing your fingers together?
Sure looks like powdered mica on your finger to me.

That is what it looks like to me!

[john.k]

Lead also reacts with many bullet lubes to form white scaly lead soaps ,if stored a long time.

[MT Gianni]

Lead also reacts with many bullet lubes to form white scaly lead soaps ,if stored a long time.

Yep best storage is inside brass cases.