Two Products, Distinct Purposes
Both Red Mercury 258 N9 and Silver Liquid Mercury 285 are manufactured by CHEMICAL ELEMENTS at our production facility, but they serve fundamentally different roles. Understanding those differences is essential for making the right procurement decision.
Composition Overview
Red Mercury 20/20-258 N9 is a proprietary compound — not elemental mercury in its natural state. The 20/20-258 designation refers to CHEMICAL ELEMENTS’s specific formulation parameters, which yield a cherry-red, highly dense liquid with a purity of 99.9999999 %. Its gamma value of 0.44 and unique electrochemical properties make it the preferred choice for gold amalgamation where maximum recovery rates are critical.
Silver Liquid Mercury 285 is elemental mercury (Hg) in its native metallic form — the lustrous, silver-white liquid familiar to most chemists. CHEMICAL ELEMENTS produces it at 99.9999 % purity through cinnabar retorting and electrolytic refining. It is versatile across a much broader range of applications.
Application Matrix
| Application | Red Mercury | Silver Mercury |
|---|---|---|
| Gold amalgamation | Primary choice — highest recovery rates | Widely used, lower selectivity |
| Thermometer & barometer manufacturing | Not typically used | Standard material |
| Electrical switches & relays | Not applicable | Preferred conductor |
| Fluorescent lamp production | Not applicable | Used in vapour discharge |
| Laboratory research | Specialised uses | General-purpose reagent |
| Chlor-alkali electrolysis | Not applicable | Cathode material |
Purity Comparison
| Parameter | Red Mercury 258 | Silver Mercury 285 |
|---|---|---|
| Purity grade | 99.9999999 % (N9) | 99.9999 % (N6) |
| CAS Number | Proprietary formulation | 7439-97-6 |
| Physical state | Liquid, cherry red | Liquid, silver-white |
| Boiling point | 356.72 °C | 356.72 °C |
| Packaging | 1 kg / 34.5 kg flasks | 34.5 kg iron flasks |
Pricing Factors
Red Mercury commands a premium over Silver Mercury due to its multi-stage purification process, lower production throughput, and specialised application profile. Silver Mercury, produced at higher volumes from cinnabar ore, offers a more accessible price point for applications where N9-level purity is unnecessary.
Both products are quoted on request. Pricing depends on order volume, delivery destination, and whether the buyer requires first-time evaluation quantities or ongoing supply agreements.
Making the Right Choice
Choose Red Mercury if your primary goal is maximising gold recovery from alluvial or hard-rock deposits and you need the highest-purity reagent available.
Choose Silver Mercury if you require elemental Hg for instrumentation, electrical manufacturing, laboratory work, or general industrial use where N6 purity is sufficient.
Our technical team can help you assess which product matches your specific application. Reach out at info@chemicaleleements.com.