Ordinary coal is crushed, and then mixed with a binder containing a specific metal salt. When the coal is burnt, the flames are coloured. Strontium gives red, copper gives green, sodium gives yellow; blues and violets are also available (Barium ?).
A pleasant novelty if you have an open fire.-- 8th of 7, Oct 22 2002 Chemistry of Firework Colors http://chemistry.ab...eekly/aa062701a.htm22 Oct 02 | Small article about various chemicals that produce various colors. Has a nifty table arranged by color. (Beware the pop-up ads) [bristolz, Oct 22 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004] (?) Fireworks Colours http://sis.bris.ac....55/fire/colours.htm22 Oct 02 | Another pyrotechnics burn-color chemistry page (nice URL, huh?) [bristolz, Oct 22 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004] Fireworks Chemicals Page http://www.pyro-pag...mistry/chemical.htm22 Oct 02 | Of these three, this page has the most chemical burn attributes info of all. [bristolz, Oct 22 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004] Making Pine Cone Firestarters http://pineconelady.com/crafts.html [waugsqueke, Oct 23 2002] I believe twenty pound notes burn also with a pleasant turqouise flame.-- General Washington, Oct 22 2002 Christmas wrapping paper also gives similar effects, due I believe to the metals used in the pigments.-- egbert, Oct 22 2002 You could do this with wood pellets also.-- FarmerJohn, Oct 22 2002 General -- I suggest you try Canadian notes. They burn prettily, and are quite inexpensive.-- ldischler, Oct 22 2002 I've done something similar with pine cones and my chemistry set when I was 12. Neat colors and the pine cones provide sound effects as well.-- phoenix, Oct 22 2002 Across the valley from my house, there is a factory that makes chipboard, and a cadbury's. These constantly pour smoke into the air, and this would make the sight alot more interesting.-- Bugsy, Oct 22 2002 We did this, albeit a long while ago, but I remember all the pyromaniacs in the group commenting on what burns what color, and then I believe it headed in the usual potty direction and ended up with people urinating on the fire, I think.-- blissmiss, Oct 22 2002 The different chemicals or salts required for coloring flames are:
Magnesium Sulphate (Epson Salts) for WHITE flames Lithium Chloride or Potassium Permanganate for PURPLE flames Barium Nitrate for BLUE flames Sodium Chloride (table salt) for YELLOW flames Baronsalts (Borax) for YELLOW-GREEN flames Copper sulphate (blue vitrol/Bluestone) for BLUE-GREEN flames Copper Chloride or boric acid for GREEN Flames Calcium Chloride (Bleaching powder) for ORANGE Flames Strontium chloride for RED flames
So sez the Pine Cone Lady. (link)-- waugsqueke, Oct 23 2002 How could we possibly forget.-- sufc, Apr 21 2003 //Don't forget how much the human chemistry enjoys strontium.//
Do you mean the radioactive strontium-90 isotope?
Nevetheless, you might violate local regulations, so the coal could only be distributed on a local basis (bad economics).
Alternatively, you could sell additive packets that would color the flames but not require mixing with the coal.
The only question remaining is: is the flame temperature of coal gas high enough to combust the additive?-- FloridaManatee, Apr 22 2003 yes... yes it is-- Skip, Apr 27 2003 I immediately thought of <radio show>Blue Coal(r)</radio show> when I saw this.-- galukalock, Jul 13 2003 FIREWORK FIRE-- 0_owaffleo_0, Jul 27 2003 Mmmmm, cobalt.-- sartep, Jul 27 2003 They used to sell something similar that came in what looked like a grated parmesian cheese can. You'd shake some out on the fire, and you'd get a bunch of colors while it burned. Think they discontinued this item over fears of the damage you could do to your body by inhaling the fumes (real or imagined).-- Arduen, Feb 29 2004 So Baked They have made this product for years. They have a product like this that you can buy at Sears for gosh sakes. Its cupric (cant rember last part of name) or copper (same thing) but very baked and been made for some time-- Bearer, May 15 2004 Mix a little powdered aluminium with fine rust, and see what pretty colours the grating, refractory bricks, concrete, re-bar & subsoil make.-- Ling, May 15 2004 random, halfbakery