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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: gyzhor on January 11, 2008, 02:13:17 AM

Title: Mineral Fuel Colors
Post by: gyzhor on January 11, 2008, 02:13:17 AM
Hello forum-goers,

I'm a writer looking for help on chemicals with certain properties.
I'd like to know if there are minerals or other naturally occurring chemicals (please pardon my unfamiliarity with specific chemistry terminology) that are:


Thus far from my own research I think I can use Red Phosphorus for red and Magnesium for white (though, unless I'm mistaken, magnesium is only white when powdered and silvery when a solid piece. Is that correct?).
I'm having trouble with green, though.

Early on in my research I though I could use copper with a fine layer of patina, but wasn't sure if it met the "able to sustain/fuel a fire" criterion.
Then someone told me that some forms of naturally occurring sulfur can be green if they have a mineral inclusion (though I've yet to find a suitable example online). 

What kind of inclusion could make sulfur green, yet still allow it to burn?  Clay?  Graphite?  How hot would it burn?

I'm also open to suggestions of other chemicals of like properties with different colors, if you know of any.   ;D

Thanks!
~gyz
Title: Re: Mineral Fuel Colors
Post by: Borek on January 11, 2008, 03:57:23 AM
Apart from mined fuels and elementar sulfur most other naturally occuring minerals are already oxidized, so they will be not able to burn. Magnesium and phosphorus are chemically very active, they have to be produced and they will not survive in in the presence of air and water for long.

I doubt you will be able to find natural materials that fit your description. Unless you will accept wood or something like that.
Title: Re: Mineral Fuel Colors
Post by: gyzhor on January 11, 2008, 12:29:17 PM
Good point, but maybe I overstated the "naturally occurring" angle.  I'm not opposed to refined or produced chemicals (i.e. magnesium or phosphorus), as long as they or their components are readily available in a natural state.

I mostly wanted to avoid replies like "have you considered plutonium or promethium" or other complex or synthetic molecules, since the piece takes place in the late 1700s.  ;)
Title: Re: Mineral Fuel Colors
Post by: Borek on January 11, 2008, 07:09:39 PM
Quote from: gyzhor on January 11, 2008, 12:29:17 PM
the piece takes place in the late 1700s.  ;)

That rules out magnesium as it was discovered in 1808  ;D
Title: Re: Mineral Fuel Colors
Post by: gyzhor on January 11, 2008, 07:38:18 PM
Aw rats!

I'd assumed that it had been known longer since I'd stumbled across alchemy symbols for magnesium a while back:

http://chemistry.allinfoabout.com/alchemy/magnesium.html

But it appears that it was used in the form of "Magnesia Alba" or Magnesium Carbonate.

Double-rats.
Title: Re: Mineral Fuel Colors
Post by: gyzhor on March 06, 2008, 09:59:57 PM
Getting back to the sulfur with inclusion idea - if you melted sulfur and added something like graphite or charcoal, might that darken the sulfur enough to show green?  And since sulfur and charcoal would be one ingredient away from gunpowder, it should still burn, yes (unless it it would only burn as powder and not a solid)?

Ayunuh.  Maybe this is something that requires me to pick up a kid's chemistry set from the local thrift store and try myself in the backyard. 
Oh, the wife is going to be thrilled.   :P

~gyz