Does anyone know an easy way to get calcium carbonate?

[mellowyelloe]

Does anyone know the best way to derive calcium carbonate out of rock?

 

I found plans for a calcium carbonate reactor at:

 

http://ozreef.org/diy_plans/alkalinity_calcium/calcium_carbonate_reactor.html

 

This site says how we do it on an industrial scale.

 

http://www.solvaypcc.com/safety_environment/0,0,1000044-_EN,00.html

 

I haven't looked for anywhere I could buy it, so for all I know it may be easy to come by right now. But, I'm just wanting to know how I can get it out of rock for use in smokeless gunpowder. I want to know how to get it from scratch so that if society fails I can still make it. I know I can use charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur to make gunpowder. But, with smokeless powder it wouldn't be as hard to clean the firearm.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

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[Theophrastus]

While it certainly isn't a lab grade quality, eggshells are approximately 95% calcium carbonate, so if one were to powder the shells, by means of a mortar and pestle, being careful to peel off the inner membrane first, one should come up with calcium carbonate powder, of a relative purity. I've tested this, by reacting the remaining solution with acetic acid, and it works quite well, however there does seem to be some organic residue remaining, a testament to its relative purity. You can also buy it as an antacid in most drugstores. While I am unsure in regards to how one could extract it from limestone, you can test for calcium carbonate by reacting your mineral extract, with a strong acid, however, while reacting less vigorously, weaker acids, such as acetic acid will suffice. If the mineral seems to bubble, then you know that there is calcium carbonate present.

 

(example of the emergence of CO2, following the addition of a strong acid, such as HCL)

 

CaCO3 + 2HCl > CaCl2 + CO2 + H2O

[Ophiolite]

Go to a limestone quarry.

[mellowyelloe]

Go to a limestone quarry.

 

Well, I know what kind of stone to get it from, or how to test to see if it contains calcium carbonate. I'm wanting to know the process needed to seperate the calcium carbonate from everything else, in the easiest manner possible.

 

Thanks

[Ophiolite]

Pure limestone is pure calcium carbonate. A limestone quarry is likely to have limestone with a very high level of purity. Go for one that is crystaline with a low fossil content. What level of purity do you need?

[Mokele]

Or, if you're in a coastal area where there's fishing, scrounge the shucked oyster and clam shells. Or any other mollusc shell, really.

[mellowyelloe]

Since I'm wanting this for gunpowder, some residue it going to be unpreventable. I was hoping that there would be some easy way, someone knew of, to get pure calcium carbonate. Theophrastus, suggested eggshells which sounded great. Until, he got to the point where he talked about the leftover organic matter. Now, I suppose as long a the organic matter would burn, without creating too much smoke, then eggshells would work fine.

[max.yevs]

some plasters are made with calcium carbonate, although probably not of the purity you need...

 

of course you can always react (almost) any calcium compound with sodium carbonate or bicarbonate... i.e. plaster of paris has 99% calcium sulfate...

and then filter out CaCO3 since it has very low solubility... of course idk i would think that you can just replace Na2CO3 for CaCO3

 

 

 

of course there is another way...

 

keep boiling tap water in a kettle or pot, adding more when it almost boils away... you'll find some white deposits, calcium carbonate.

[YT2095]

Smokeless is Nitrocellulose based, not a BP derivative.

most of the smoke from BP is particulate matter, adding any sort of calcium salt will only add to this.

[hermanntrude]

buy some chalk

[UC]

buy some chalk

 

Chalk isn't usually chalk anymore IIRC. I think it's almost always gypsum ([ce] CaSO4*2H2O [/ce]) nowadays. I precipitated mine from boiling CaCl2 solution using sodium carbonate, but only because it's an enormous pain in the arse to try to get CaCl2 back out of solution. If you have the time, you can dissolve eggshells or seashells in acid, filter, and add carbonate to precipitate CaCO3.

 

Good quality limestone is pretty pure CaCO3. The common impurities are MgCO3 (form a complete solid solution, IIRC) and iron oxides.

Edited March 25, 2009 by UC

[YT2095]

I`m glad you Also pointed out about chalk being mostly Gypsum nowadays, I rem having a debate about that while ago.

 

also for the seashells, it`s good if you can Roast them 1`st (in a tin can over a fire will do), it gets rid of the organic "glues" and ensures a better carbonate ratio. I`v made mine this way before and it works Great!

[AspiringScientist4444]

Sodium carbonate + calcium chloride.

Can be found in science kits. 🧒🏻🧪