Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Chemicals in Canada?

fusso - 8-2-2019 at 09:57


I'm visiting Vancouver and other parts of BC, Canada in the near future. Where can I get minerals/chemicals/equipment there? I want to buy some precious metals (Ag, Au,Pt etc), which precious metal retailer should I choose?
And if I put them in checked luggage, what kinds of chemicals will be detected? Will they be removed from my luggage?

fusso - 16-2-2019 at 06:45

Some chemicals I'd like to have are radioactive stuff namely Th and U, and cyanide salts. Are they legal in Canada? If yes I'd like to buy them there. And will they be detected/removed from a checked luggage when I depart from Canada?

[Edited on 190216 by fusso]

Heptylene - 17-2-2019 at 05:55

I assume airports x-ray checked luggage too. They have a way of telling what is organic and what isn't by the way substances absorb x-ray (higher atomic number --> more absorption). IIRC it uses two x-ray detectors: one for high energy and one for low energy x-rays, and a filter than lets through mostly high energy between the detectors. So they can distinguish metals from C, N, O, etc. They would probably be suspicious of a bag of powder and even more so if it has unusual x-ray absorption. Maybe they check for radioactivity too, IDK.

I don't know if cyanides and uranium or thorium salts are legal tho.

fusso - 17-2-2019 at 08:24

Quote: Originally posted by Heptylene  
They have a way of telling what is organic and what isn't by the way substances absorb x-ray (higher atomic number --> more absorption). IIRC it uses two x-ray detectors: one for high energy and one for low energy x-rays, and a filter than lets through mostly high energy between the detectors. So they can distinguish metals from C, N, O, etc. They would probably be suspicious of a bag of powder and even more so if it has unusual x-ray absorption. Maybe they check for radioactivity too, IDK.
Will NaI/KI give "weird" xray image on airport scanner? Will NaCN look different from NaCl in xray?

Heptylene - 17-2-2019 at 09:53

Hard to tell what will look weird to them, I don't have their experience. I just know they can tell heavy from light elements. How often to people have to transport bulk powder in their luggage anyway? I'd say any powder will look suspicious.

zed - 17-2-2019 at 14:33

No! No! No!

Moving weird chemicals, across international borders in your luggage, is a great way to end up in Guantanamo!

Expect to be detained first, competently questioned second (and much later), and third..... expect release about the time Hell freezes over.

If you must shop for chemicals abroad; Ship it, or mail it, home!

Also.... Where are you actually located? Being cryptic about your area of origin is all very well, until you start asking about buying chemicals. Real world location, then becomes very relevant.

In some parts of the world, stuff I can buy at my neighborhood hardware store, would be sending the unauthorized possessor, off to a gulag.

[Edited on 17-2-2019 by zed]

fusso - 17-2-2019 at 15:19

Quote: Originally posted by zed  
No! No! No!

Moving weird chemicals, across international borders in your luggage, is a great way to end up in Guantanamo!

Expect to be detained first, competently questioned second (and much later), and third..... expect release about the time Hell freezes over.

If you must shop for chemicals abroad; Ship it, or mail it, home!

Also.... Where are you actually located? Being cryptic about your area of origin is all very well, until you start asking about buying chemicals. Real world location, then becomes very relevant.

In some parts of the world, stuff I can buy at my neighborhood hardware store, would be sending the unauthorized possessor, off to a gulag.

[Edited on 17-2-2019 by zed]
Hence I'm not buying some more exotic stuff, just the aforementioned common industrial chemicals. Detained? By which country? The one before the flight or the one after? I live in asia, that's all I could say about my location.

[Edited on 190217 by fusso]

morganbw - 18-2-2019 at 07:53

Try it and let us know.

I am pretty sure there is one member of this forum who had to take a forced vacation from an incident at an airport. Just post up when you get home with your stuff.

From a personal point of view, if you are able to declare it for customs, it may be okay.

fusso - 18-2-2019 at 10:19

Quote: Originally posted by morganbw  
Try it and let us know.

I am pretty sure there is one member of this forum who had to take a forced vacation from an incident at an airport. Just post up when you get home with your stuff.

From a personal point of view, if you are able to declare it for customs, it may be okay.
I wouldn't want to risk it as I don't want to waste $ to buy another plane ticket, and my clean record of course. I'd want to know more about transporting chemicals across borders first before actually doing it so I want more advice from others here.

XeonTheMGPony - 18-2-2019 at 10:21

declare it to customs, as if you don't and they find it you will be in VERY big trouble! allot of Americans have ended up in very very hot water due to accidentally forgetting things never mind intentional dodging!

So good luck but I imagine there isn't much here then any where ells, and it depends what province your in, Vancouver happens to be a good place if you walk some of the train tracks you can get bags of free sulfur, and with enough looking in the more industrial areas and good knowledge of application tons other you can get.

fusso - 18-2-2019 at 10:40

So, are cyanides and radioactives legal to buy in BC, and be packed into a checked luggage? Their Legality in Canada is my bigger concern, more than whether I can import them into my country.

[Edited on 190218 by fusso]

fusso - 19-2-2019 at 12:14

In other words, my concern is the acquisition and export part, ie from buying chemicals to transporting them out of Canada, not the import part, ie from the chemicals entering my country border to arriving at my home.

XeonTheMGPony - 19-2-2019 at 17:38

Quote: Originally posted by fusso  
In other words, my concern is the acquisition and export part, ie from buying chemicals to transporting them out of Canada, not the import part, ie from the chemicals entering my country border to arriving at my home.


and to do that you need to declare them to customs as any package leaving Canada will go through there.

zed - 19-2-2019 at 18:53

If you could buy it..... No airline would knowingly allow you to fly with that stuff. I would never attempt to personally transport such a thing, in MY luggage, on any commercial aircraft. It's a bad idea.

I'm in the USA. I can easily buy stuff that is highly restricted in much of the world. I can't fly with it.

I can probably buy Cyanides in the USA, with good reason and identification, and my signature on a document.

But, I have heard whispers, that Americans may be forbidden from making some kinds of chemical purchases, in Canada.

Sale to Canadians....Maybe. Sale to me....Maybe not.







[Edited on 20-2-2019 by zed]

Shyg - 21-2-2019 at 11:24

That part of the world is not so open to selling chemicals to individuals. You are in most cases required to have a tax number(business) or at the very least a business address.

fusso - 29-3-2019 at 18:16

Are there chemical/lab equipment suppliers/retailers in/near Vancouver that have a physical store and will sell to individuals?

draculic acid69 - 30-3-2019 at 04:50

Small amounts of precious metals should be fine and will show up on x-ray but will not cause any problems as no-one will care about them.cyanides and radioactive materials at an international airport is idiotic.apparently cyanide will show up on x-ray.an episode of CSI referenced the cyanide in the panadol case many years ago.thats how they figured out which bottles were contaminated and which weren't.they x-rayed them.the lesson being don't take cyanide or radioactive materials to the airport.

[Edited on 30-3-2019 by draculic acid69]

fusso - 30-3-2019 at 08:20

But why do airports hate radioactives? Do gamma rays interfere with their navigation system?

[Edited on 190330 by fusso]

draculic acid69 - 31-3-2019 at 04:40

Your joking right?

fusso - 31-3-2019 at 09:37

Quote: Originally posted by draculic acid69  
Your joking right?
?

mayko - 31-3-2019 at 15:39

It sounds like the airline you're flying with would be better equipped than we are to discuss the specifics and rationale of their checked-luggage policy.

If you're reluctant to discuss your plans with them, stop and think about why.

Deathunter88 - 1-4-2019 at 05:50

Quote: Originally posted by fusso  
Quote: Originally posted by draculic acid69  
Your joking right?
?


You are either incredibly naive, stupid, trolling, or all three. "So, are cyanides and radioactives legal to buy in BC, and be packed into a checked luggage?" Are you serious? No hazmat materials allowed in commercial flights, period.

draculic acid69 - 4-4-2019 at 00:58

I'm starting to think it would be a great idea for this guy to walk through an international airport with cyanides and radioactives.

Deathunter88 - 4-4-2019 at 10:04

Quote: Originally posted by draculic acid69  
I'm starting to think it would be a great idea for this guy to walk through an international airport with cyanides and radioactives.


"Amateur chemist seized in airport in possession of deadly poisons and materials for dirty bomb." I'm sure that would be GREAT publicity for amateur chemists and make people want to loosen laws regarding chemicals. :mad: (Also I get you're being sarcastic)

draculic acid69 - 4-4-2019 at 22:10

Yes I was being sarcastic ;-)

Sort of.

draculic acid69 - 4-4-2019 at 22:25

Headline would read terrorist seized in airport with materials for dirty bomb or amatuer chemist with deadly materials seized at airport never amatuer chemist seized with dirtybomb materials. Amatuer chemists don't make dirty bombs.terrorists do.

Felab - 9-4-2019 at 07:39



articulos-prohibidos-en-equipaje-de-mano.jpg - 102kB

I think this is clear enough.

Felab - 13-4-2019 at 12:57

Quote: Originally posted by Felab  




I think this is clear enough.


The same applies to checked luggage.

fusso - 13-4-2019 at 13:06

Some more common ones like sharp edged metal objects are allowed in checked though.