[Jewelry making - Article 01360] - Re: [Orchid] Why Hydrofluoric acid is so dangerous

[David Phelps]

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    Thank you John for the chemistry lesson on hydrofluoric acid. I had
    always heard it's nasty stuff, but I didn't know why it would be any
    worse than nitric acid. 

    I have about five pounds of "platinum divesting" crystals that I got
    from my investment supplier. It looks like rock salt and it is to be
    mixed with hydrogen peroxide, about two or three ounces H2O2 to one
    teaspoonful of crystals. I tried to order some more of it for a
    friend and the company informed me that they no longer carried it.
    When I asked what it was so I could find a new source, they were very
    evasive about it and I never got a real answer. I thought at the time
    that was kind of odd, but as I have several years supply, I dropped
    it. I have searched through my MDS file for info on it, but I can't
    find anything on it at all. 

    Any idea what it might be? Any idea how dangerous it might be? I had
    always assumed it formed a weak solution of hydrofluoric acid when
    mixed with peroxide as it will eat through glass, but not plastic. I
    never really considered it to be any more dangerous than pickle or
    rhodium solution, but I think maybe I ought to reconsider. 

Thanks,
Dave
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