Getting sulfur at home. Sulfur in nature

Chewing gum made from cedar resin (resin) is very useful. Cedar resin has a powerful bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and adsorbing effect. It strengthens the gums and teeth much better than the advertised toothpastes and chewing gums, which have a chemical composition. In addition, it retains its cedar taste for a long time. Chewing gum from cedar resin neutralizes the harmful effects of exhaust gases, tobacco and alcohol and stimulates the appetite, so it is better to chew it after eating.

It is very easy to prepare cedar chewing gum at home.
This will require:
1. Unrefined resin (resin) of cedar.
2. Gauze, thread, spoon.
3. Two containers: one for cooking resin, the second for collecting and cooling.

You can buy unrefined resin by placing an order on the website - the order calculator on the right.

To prepare resin, you must first divide the crude cedar resin into pieces, approximately 100g each. each.

Then, wrap them in gauze and tie them with threads so that the gauze does not unwind during the cooking process.

Pour water into a cooking container (an ordinary iron cup will do) and bring it to a boil.
We lower the pieces of resin wrapped in gauze into boiling water.

We wait until the resin begins to stand out, you can slightly crush the gauze lumps floating in boiling water with a spoon. Resin is lighter than water, so it will appear on its surface.

Pour cold water into the second container.
We collect liquid resin with a spoon and transfer it with a spoon into a container with cold water.

And so on until the resin in boiling water ceases to stand out.
Next, the resin must be collected in "sausages" and can be used as chewing gum or prepared on the basis of it turpentine balm.

As a result, I cooked 200 grams of unrefined oleoresin - I got 77 grams of pure resin - if you count how much of it is left in the cooking container and on a spoon - it comes out to about 100 grams, i.e. the output of finished chewing gum is about 50%.
It is necessary to store resin in a dark cool place at a temperature not exceeding 18 C. The resin has an unlimited shelf life, but it is better to use it within 5 years.

In general, the question of how to get sulfur is quite interesting and entertaining, if only because sulfur is part of not only rocks and natural rocks and is necessary for human life, but is also part of the human body itself. Sulfur is a typical non-metal and combustible chemical element. Since ancient times, people have used sulfur in everyday life and found ways to extract it. At this point in time, many ways to obtain sulfur have been discovered.

The most common way to obtain sulfur is the method proposed back in 1890 by G. Farsh. He proposed to melt sulfur underground and pump it to the surface with the help of wells. The idea was that sulfur is a low-melting chemical element, the melting point of which is 113 0 C, which greatly facilitates the process of sublimation. On the basis of the proposed idea, various methods for obtaining sulfur from sulfur ores and mountain deposits arose:

• steam water,
• filtration,
• thermal,
• centrifugal,
• extraction.

All these methods and methods are widely used in the mining industry. Also popular is the method of extracting chemically pure finely dispersed sulfur from natural gas, which is an ideal raw material in the chemical and rubber industries. Since sulfur is contained in large quantities in gaseous form in natural gas, during gas production it settles on the walls of pipes, quickly disabling them. Therefore, a way was found to capture it immediately after gas production.

How to get sulfur oxide

Sulfur oxide (VI) is a highly volatile, colorless liquid with a suffocating, pungent odor. The simplest and most common ways to obtain sulfur oxide:

1. In the presence of a catalyst, sulfur oxide (IV) is oxidized by heating with air, thereby obtaining sulfur oxide (VI).
2. Thermal decomposition of sulfates.
3. Sulfur oxide (IV) is oxidized with ozone to obtain sulfur oxide (VI).
4. In the oxidation reaction of sulfur oxide (IV), nitrogen oxide is used, thereby obtaining sulfur oxide (VI).

How to get sulfur oxide 4

Sulfur oxide (IV), or sulfur dioxide, is a colorless gas with a characteristic suffocating odor. In laboratory conditions, sulfur oxide (IV) is obtained by the interaction of sodium hydrosulfite with sulfuric acid or by heating copper with concentrated sulfuric acid. Also in nature and laboratory conditions, a method for producing sulfur oxide (IV) by the action of strong acids on sulfites and hydrosulfites is common. As a result of this reaction, sulfurous acid is formed, which immediately decomposes into water and sulfur oxide (IV). An industrial method for producing sulfur oxide (IV) is the burning of sulfur or the burning of sulfides - pyrite.

How to get sulfur from hydrogen sulfide

The method of obtaining sulfur from hydrogen sulfide is carried out in laboratory conditions. It should be noted right away that a similar method of obtaining sulfur should be carried out with all safety measures, since hydrogen sulfide is an active and toxic substance. The essence of the method is the interaction (reaction) of hydrogen sulfide with sulfuric acid, resulting in the formation of water, sulfur dioxide, gas and fine sulfur, which will remain at the bottom of the tube at the end of the reaction in the form of a precipitate. The precipitate obtained is filtered, washed and allowed to dry. This will be finely dispersed sulfur.

Sulfur is one of the elements presented in the periodic table. The substance is assigned to group 16, under the third period. The atomic number of sulfur is 16. In nature, it can be found both in pure form and in mixed form. In chemical formulas, sulfur is denoted by the Latin letter S. It is an element in the composition of many proteins and has a large number of physical and chemical properties, which makes it in demand.

Physical and chemical properties of sulfur

The main physical properties of sulfur:

• Solid-crystalline composition (rhombic form with a light yellow color and monoclinic form with a honey-yellow color).
• Change of color when the temperature rises from 100°C.
• The temperature at which the element passes into a liquid state of aggregation is 300°C.
• It has low thermal conductivity.
• Does not dissolve in water.
• Easily soluble in ammonia concentrate and carbon disulfide.

The main chemical features of sulfur:

• It is an oxidizing agent for metals, forms sulfides.
• Actively interacts with hydrogen at temperatures up to 200°С.
• Forms oxides upon interaction with oxygen at temperatures up to 280°C.
• It interacts well with phosphorus, carbon as an oxidizing agent, and also with fluorine and other complex substances as a reducing agent.

Where can sulfur be found in nature

Native sulfur in large volumes is not often found in nature. As a rule, it is contained in certain ores. Rock with pure sulfur crystals is called sulfur ore.

The further orientation of exploration and prospecting work directly depends on how these inclusions were formed in the rock. But mankind has not yet found a clear answer to this question.

There are many different theories on the origin of native sulfur in rocks, but not one has been fully proven, since the phenomenon of the formation of this element is quite complex. The working versions of the formation of sulfur ore include:

• theory of syngenesis: simultaneous origin of sulfur with host rocks;
• the theory of epigenesis: the formation of sulfur later than the main rocks;
• metasomatism theory: one of the subtypes of the theory of epigenesis, is the transformation of gypsum and anhydride into sulfur.

Scope of application

Sulfur is used to make various materials, including:

• paper and matches;
• paints and fabrics;
• medicines and cosmetics;
• rubber and plastic;
• combustible mixtures;
• fertilizers;
• explosives and poisons.

For the production of one car, it is necessary to spend 14 kg of this substance. Thanks to such a wide range of sulfur applications, we can safely say that the production potential of the state depends on its reserves and consumption.

The lion's share of the world's ore production goes to the production of paper, since sulfur compounds contribute to the production of cellulose. For the production of 1 ton of this raw material, it is necessary to spend more than 1 centner of sulfur. Large volumes of this substance are needed to obtain rubber during the vulcanization of rubbers.

The use of sulfur in agriculture and the mining and chemical industry

Sulfur, both in pure form and in the form of compounds, is widely used in agriculture. It is found in mineral fertilizers and pesticides. Sulfur is useful for plants, like phosphorus, potassium and other substances, although the main part of the fertilizer applied to the soil is not absorbed by them, but contributes to the absorption of phosphorus.

Therefore, sulfur is added to the ground simultaneously with phosphate rock. Bacteria in the soil oxidize it and form sulfuric and sulfurous acids, which react with phosphorites, forming phosphorus compounds that are perfectly absorbed by plants.

The mining and chemical industry is the leader among consumers of sulfur. About half of all the resource mined in the world goes to the production of sulfuric acid. To produce one ton of this substance, it is necessary to spend 3 centners of sulfur. And sulfuric acid in the chemical industry is comparable to the role of water for a living organism.

Significant volumes of sulfur and sulfuric acid are needed in the production of explosives and. Purified from all sorts of additives, the substance is necessary in the production of dyes and luminous compositions.

Sulfur compounds are used in the oil refining industry. They are needed in the process of obtaining anti-knock agents, machine oils and lubricants for ultra-high pressure units, as well as in coolants that accelerate the processing of metals, up to 18% sulfur can be included.

Sulfur is indispensable in the mining industry, and in the production of a large number of food products.

Sulfur deposits are called places of accumulation of sulfur ore. According to research data, the world's sulfur deposits are 1.4 billion tons. To date, deposits of these ores have been found in different parts of the world. In Russia - near the left banks of the Volga and in the Urals, and also in Turkmenistan. There are many ore deposits in the USA, namely in Texas and Louisiana. Deposits of crystalline sulfur have been found and are being developed to this day in the Italian regions of Sicily and Romagna.

Sulfur ores are classified according to the percentage of this component in them. Thus, rich ores with a sulfur content of more than 25% and poor ones - up to 12% are distinguished. There are also sulfur deposits:

Finding sulfur in nature

• stratiform;
• salt domes;
• volcanogenic.

This kind of deposits, as stratiform, is the most popular. These mines account for 60% of world production. A feature of such deposits is their connection with sulfate-carbonate deposits. Ores are located in sulfate rocks. The size of sulfur bodies can reach several hundred meters and have a thickness of several tens of meters.

Salt dome type mines - 35% of the world's sulfur production. They are characterized by gray sulfur ores.

The share of volcanogenic mines is 5%. They were formed as a result of volcanic eruptions. The morphology of ore bodies in such deposits is sheet-like or lenticular. These mines contain about 40% sulfur. Deposits of the volcanic type are characteristic of the Pacific volcanic belt.

In addition to native sulfur, an important mineral that contains sulfur and its compounds is iron pyrite or pyrite. Most of the world's pyrite production occurs in European countries. The mass fraction of sulfur compounds in pyrite is 80%. The leaders in ore mining include Spain, South Africa, Japan, Italy and the United States of America.

Mining process

Sulfur is extracted by one of the possible methods, the choice of which depends on the type of deposit. Mining can be open pit or underground.

Open-pit mining of sulfur ore is the most common. At the beginning of the process of sulfur extraction by this method, a significant layer of rock soil is removed by excavators. Then the crushing of the ore itself is performed. Mined parts of the ore are transported to processing plants to undergo a cleaning procedure. After that, sulfur is sent to production, where it is melted and the final substance is obtained from concentrates.

underground melting method

In addition, the Frasch method, which is based on underground sulfur smelting, can also be used. This approach is advisable to apply for deep deposits of matter. After the fossil has been melted in the mine, liquid sulfur is pumped out. For this purpose, special wells are arranged. The Frasch method is feasible only due to the ease of melting of the substance and its relatively low density.

The method of separating ore in centrifuges

Its peculiarity lies in one negative feature: sulfur extracted by means of a centrifuge has many impurities and needs additional purification. As a result, this method is considered quite expensive.

The development of ores in some cases can be carried out by the following methods:

• steam-water;
• downhole;
• filtration;
• extraction;
• thermal.

Regardless of which approach will be used for mining from the earth's interior, strict adherence to safety standards and regulations is required. The main danger of the development of sulfur ore is that poisonous and explosive hydrogen sulfide can accumulate in its deposits.

Sulfur is an element of the periodic table of chemical elements and belongs to the group of chalcogens. This element is an active participant in the formation of many acids and salts. Hydrogen and acid compounds contain sulfur, usually in the composition of various ions. A large number of salts, which include sulfur, are practically insoluble in water.

Sulfur is a fairly common element in nature. According to its chemical content in the earth's crust, it was assigned the sixteenth number, according to its presence in water bodies - the sixth. It can occur both in the free and in the bound state.

The most important natural minerals of the element include: iron pyrites (pyrite) - FeS 2, zinc blende (sphalerite) - ZnS, galena - PbS, cinnabar - HgS, antimonite - Sb 2 S 3. Also, the sixteenth element of the periodic system is found in oil, natural coal, natural gases, and shale. The presence of sulfur in the aquatic environment is represented by sulfate ions. It is its presence in fresh water that is the cause of constant hardness. It is also one of the most important elements of the life of higher organisms, is part of the structure of many proteins, and is also concentrated in the hair.

Sulfur ore

It cannot be said that the free state of sulfur in nature is a frequent occurrence. Native sulfur is quite rare. Often it is one of the components of some ores. Sulfur ore is a rock that contains native sulfur. Sulfur inclusions in rocks can be formed together with accompanying rocks or later. The time of their formation affects the direction of prospecting and exploration work. Experts identify several theories of sulfur formation in ores.

1. Theory of syngenesis. According to this theory, sulfur and host rocks were formed simultaneously. The place of their formation were shallow basins. The sulfates contained in the water were reduced to hydrogen sulfide with the help of special bacteria. Further, it was raised up to the oxidizing zone, in which hydrogen sulfide was oxidized to elemental sulfur. She sank to the bottom, settling in silt, which after a while turned into ore.
2. The theory of epigenesis, which states that the formation of sulfur inclusions occurred later than the main rocks. In accordance with this theory, it is believed that groundwater penetrated into the rock mass, as a result of which the water was enriched with sulfates. Further, these waters came into contact with oil or gas deposits, which led to the reduction of sulfate ions with the help of hydrocarbons to hydrogen sulfide, which, rising to the surface and oxidizing, released native sulfur in the voids and cracks in the rocks.
3. The theory of metasomatism. This theory is one of the subspecies of the theory of epigenesis. Currently, it is increasingly finding confirmation. Its essence lies in the transformation of gypsum (CaSO 4 -H 2 O) and anhydrite (CaSO 4) into sulfur and calcite (CaCO 3-). The theory was proposed by two scientists Miropolsky and Krotov back in the first half of the twentieth century. A few years later, the Mishrak deposit was found, which confirmed the formation of sulfur in this way. However, the process of transformation of gypsum into sulfur and calcite remains unclear so far. In this regard, the theory of metasomatosis is not the only correct one. In addition, today there are lakes on the planet with syngenetic sulfur deposits, however, gypsum or anhydrite were not found in the silt. These lakes include Sulfur Lake, located near Sernovodsk.

Thus, there is no unambiguous theory of the origin of sulfur inclusions in ores. The formation of matter largely depends on the conditions and phenomena occurring in the earth's interior.

Sulfur deposits

Sulfur is mined in the places of localization of sulfur ore - deposits. According to some data, the world reserves of sulfur are about 1.4 billion tons. To date, sulfur deposits have been found in many parts of the Earth - in Turkmenistan, in the USA, the Volga region, near the left banks of the Volga, which lie from Samara, etc. Sometimes a band of rock can extend for several kilometers.

Texas and Louisiana are famous for their large sulfur reserves. Distinguished by their beauty, sulfur crystals are also located in Romagna and Sicily (Italy). The homeland of monoclinic sulfur is the island of Vulcano. Also, Russia, in particular the Urals, is famous for the deposits of the sixteenth element of the periodic system of Mendeleev.

Sulfur ores are classified according to the amount of sulfur they contain. So, among them, rich ores (from 25% sulfur) and poor ones (about 12% of the substance) are distinguished. Sulfur deposits, in turn, are divided into the following types:

1. Stratiform deposits (60%). This type of deposits is associated with sulfate-carbonate strata. Ore bodies are located directly in sulfate rocks. They can reach hundreds of meters in size and have a thickness of several tens of meters;
2. Salt dome deposits (35%). This type is characterized by gray sulfur deposits;
3. Volcanogenic (5%). This type includes deposits formed by young and modern volcanoes. The shape of the ore element occurring in them is sheet-like or lenticular. Such deposits may contain about 40% sulfur. They are characteristic of the Pacific volcanic belt.

Sulfur mining

Sulfur is extracted by one of several possible methods, the choice of which depends on the conditions of occurrence of the substance. The main ones are only two - open and underground.

Open pit sulfur mining is the most popular. The entire process of extracting a substance by this method begins with the removal of a significant amount of rock by excavators, after which the ore itself is crushed. The resulting ore blocks are transported to the factory for further enrichment, after which they are sent to the enterprise, where sulfur is smelted and substances are obtained from concentrates.

In addition, the Frasch method is also sometimes used, which consists in smelting sulfur while still underground. This method is expedient to be used in places of deep occurrence of the substance. After melting underground, the substance is pumped out. For this, wells are formed, which are the main tool for pumping out the molten substance. The method is based on the ease of melting of the element and its low density.

There is also a centrifuge separation method. However, it has one big drawback, based on the fact that the sulfur obtained using this method has a lot of impurities and requires additional purification. As a result, the method is considered quite expensive.

In addition to these methods, sulfur extraction in some cases can also be carried out:

• borehole method;
• steam-water method;
• filtration method;
• thermal method;
• extraction method.

It is worth noting that, regardless of the method used during the extraction of matter from the bowels of the earth, special attention must be paid to safety. This is due to the presence, together with sulfur deposits, of hydrogen sulfide, which is toxic to humans and can ignite.