Removing a proton from mercury

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    Mercury Proton
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility and processes involved in removing a proton from mercury to produce gold. It touches on theoretical, practical, and economic aspects of this nuclear transmutation concept.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question why there are no gold companies producing gold by removing a proton from mercury, suggesting factors like cost and lack of facilities might be involved.
  • One participant mentions a previous estimate indicating that molecular manipulation to create gold could cost about $1000 to produce $1 worth of gold.
  • Several participants express interest in understanding the process of proton removal from mercury, despite acknowledging its impracticality.
  • A participant outlines a potential process involving isotopes of mercury and neutron exposure, detailing the (n,p) and (n,γ) reactions, and the challenges associated with producing the necessary neutrons.
  • Concerns are raised about the economic viability of transmuting mercury to gold through artificial processes, indicating it is generally considered uneconomical.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the practicality or economic feasibility of removing a proton from mercury to produce gold. Multiple competing views and uncertainties about the processes and costs involved remain evident.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on specific isotopes of mercury, the need for neutron production, and the economic implications of the proposed processes, which are not resolved in the discussion.

bluecap
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Why are there no gold companies that produce gold by removing a proton from mercury? Is it because mercury is expensive or lack of facilities to remove the proton.

Given a lot of budget (like billions).. what would it take to remove a proton from mercury to produce gold?
 
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bluecap said:
Given a lot of budget (like billions).. what would it take to remove a proton from mercury to produce gold?
Last estimate I heard about making gold my molecular manipulation was as I recall, that it would take about $1000 to make $1 worth of gold.
 
Even if it's not practical.. please tell me the process how to remove a proton from a mercury to produce gold..
 
bluecap said:
Even if it's not practical.. please tell me the process how to remove a proton from a mercury to produce gold..
I have no idea. I'm an engineer. Something this utterly impractical is of no interest to me. I'm sure one of our experts can help you though. I don't know that the process involves mercury but it might.
 
bluecap said:
Even if it's not practical.. please tell me the process how to remove a proton from a mercury to produce gold..
(n,p) reaction. However, Au has only one stable isotope, Au-197, and Hg-197 is unstable and decays by electron capture to Au-197. To produce Hg-197, one would have to take Hg-196 (isotopic abundance = 0.0015), expose it to neutrons and hope for an (n,γ) reaction, and wait for the electron capture, so no need for the (n,p) reaction. Alternatively, one would take Hg-198 (isotopic abundance = 0.0997), expose it to neutrons for an (n, 2n) reaction to make Hg-197 in hopes it would decay to Au-197.

There is the energy in producing neutrons (e.g., at least 10 MeV/n for an n,2n reaction in Hg-198 vs isolation of Hg-196 from the natural distribution followed by exposure to a thermal neutron flux), then there is the matter of a fraction (often small) of the neutrons causing the desired reaction. Transmutation of Hg to Au is generally very uneconomical via so-called artificial or unnatural processes.
 
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