How To Make Mercury Fulminate ----------------------------- When employing the use of any high explosive, an individual must also use some kind of detonating device. Blasting caps are probably the most popular today, since they are very functional and relatively stable. The prime ingredient in most blasting caps and detonating devices in general is mercury fulminate. There are several methods for preparing mercury fulminate. Method No. 1 for the preparation of mercury fulminate: 1. Take 5 grams of pure mercury and mix it with 35 ml. of nitric acid. 2. The mixture is slowly and gently heated. As soon as the solution bubbles and turns green, one knows that the silver mercury is dissolved. 3. After it is dissolved, the solution should be poured, slowly, into a small flask of ethyl alcohol. This will result in red fumes. 4. After a half hour or so, the red fumes will turn white, indicating that the process is nearing its final stage. 5. After a few minutes, add distilled water to the solution. 6. The entire solution is now filtered, in order to obtain the small white crystals. These crystals are pure mercury fulminate, but should be washed many times, and tested with litmus paper for any remaining undesirable acid. Method No. 2 for the preparation of mercury fulminate: 1. Mix one part mercuric oxide with ten parts ammonia solution. When ratios are described, they are always done according to weight rather than volume. 2. After waiting eight to ten days, one will see that the mercuric oxide has reacted with the ammonia solution to produce the white fulminate crystals. 3. These crystals must be handled in the same way as the first method described, in that they must be washed many times and given several litmus paper tests. Many other fulminates can be made in the same manner as above, but I will not go into these, since most are extremely unstable and sensitive to shock. All fulminates, including mercury fulminate, are sensitive to shock and friction, and in no circumstances should they be handled in a rough or careless manner. ************************************************