“Red mercury” is a widely recognized hoax and a
mythical substance that does not exist as described in popular rumors. It is not a standard lab grade chemical that can be reliably purchased through legitimate scientific supply chains.
The Reality of “Red Mercury”
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- A Hoax: The concept of “red mercury” gained notoriety through scams and conspiracy theories, often associated with nuclear weapons development or other secret military applications.
- Actual Red Compounds: Seized samples marketed as “red mercury” have typically contained ordinary, legitimate red substances, such as:
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- Mercury(II) oxide (HgO): A real, red chemical compound used in laboratories and industry.
- Mercury(II) iodide: Another actual red mercury compound.
- Mercury mixed with red dye: Standard elemental mercury with coloring added.
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- Scams: Various online sources list what they call “pure cherry red liquid mercury” with detailed but unverifiable specifications like a density of 20.2 g/cm³ or the formula
Hg2Sb2O7Hg sub 2 Sb sub 2 O sub 7
Hg2Sb2O7
(antimony mercury oxide). These are generally associated with dubious trading companies and have been dismissed by authorities like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as “a bunch of malarkey”.
For Legitimate Lab Use
If you require actual, pure mercury compounds for legitimate, authorized laboratory, scientific, or industrial use:
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- You should be looking for a specific, real chemical name, such as Mercury(II) oxide (red).
- Purchase only from reputable, certified chemical suppliers such as Noah Chemicals or Lab Alley that adhere to safety and regulatory standards like EU REACH and ISO 9001.
- Elemental, silver-colored liquid mercury is available as “lab grade” for specific applications, but its use is highly regulated due to toxicity.
Caution: Mercury and its compounds are highly toxic and dangerous. They should only be handled by trained professionals in appropriately equipped facilities following strict safety protocols.
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