Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Are Element samples on the internet reliable ?

metalresearcher - 9-9-2010 at 01:32

Sites like

www.smart-elements.com

and

http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=60

offer element samples. But when I see the prices compared to the market price it seems that these prices are sometimes (particularly in case of precious metals) 5 or more times as expensive.
How reliable are these sites ? Smart-elements still looks very nice.
Did somebody already purchase samples ?


Waffles - 12-9-2010 at 14:44

They are reliable, but expensive. If you look at chemical supply companies, you will have similar prices if not more for small quantities. Check eBay first, then go to elementsales or elementcollection or smart-elements.

woelen - 12-9-2010 at 22:57

The high price of the smart-elements site also is because of the special way in which the elements are prepared. E.g. their precious metals are in the form of beautiful shiny spheres, while commercially available samples usually are dull grey or black powders. Making these spheres requires very high temperatures and non-oxidizing conditions which are hard to obtain. This adds to the price.

The following eBay-shop has samples of diverse metals for very decent prices: http://stores.ebay.nl/THE-MISTS-OF-AVALON?_rdc=1

I have purchased quite a few samples from her. This also is a reliable seller. She also sells a lot of new-age things like all kinds of 'healing crystals' and that kind of stuff, but there are also many truly nice element samples.

metalresearcher - 12-9-2010 at 23:57

They exactly sell what I need : platinum wire, but no thickness is specified.

woelen - 13-9-2010 at 03:05

Just send her an eBay message with your questions. She is helpful.

cnidocyte - 13-9-2010 at 11:40

My god those coins look cool. They even have a phosphorous coin. I wonder what allotrope that is. Looks like red phosphorous but that stuff would crumple with the slightest bit of pressure wouldn't it?