Boffin

I've been looking into buying 1 - 2 metric tonnes of >99.8% magnesium from my metal suppliers I use for my day-to-day business. I only need a fraction of it but it is difficult to find high purity magnesium except for niche applications like fire starters, and even very small quantities cost exorbitant rates. The magnesium will come in substantial, solid blocks about 4 litres in volume each on a pallet.

What are the laws pertaining to the storage of such materials in residential premises (I work from home) or does common sense just apply?

If sufficiently wide open space (e.g. a farm of a relative) could be found, is it OK to store the magnesium in a 20" container away from inhabited buildings?

Also, how many people would be interested in buying blocks of magnesium blocks in kg-quantities? I estimate the price to be between £5 - £10 per kg, depending on how much I have to pay for shipping and storage.

What laws relate to the sale of such large blocks and not in powder form?

Thanks.

I tried asking my local explosives liaison officer but he won't give me a straight yes/no answer. I would appreciate it if someone can point me to an authoritative source that can confirm if:

1) KNO3/sugar propellants are not classed as an explosive, and therefore exempt from requiring the user to get an explosives license.

2) A rocket that has a signalling device (high vis dye, magnesium flares, or pyrotechnic composition etc.) is not classed as a Section 5 prohibited weapon.


c.f.

Manufacture and Storage of explosives Regulations 2005 ( issued by the Health and Safety Executive)

LICENSING AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS (EXPLOSIVES)

456 A licence is required for most maufacturing activities

457 Manufacturing includes processes where explosive articles or explosive substances are made or assembled. Regulation 9 gives advice on what activities are considered NOT to be manufacturing

Regulation 9.

1) Subject to paragraph (2), no person shall manufacture explosives unless he holds a licence for the manufature and complies with conditions of that licence.

2) paragraph 1 (above) shall not apply to:

a) the manufacture of explosives for the purpose of laboratory analysis, testing or demonstartion or experimentation ( but not for practical use or sale) where the total quantity of explosives being manufactured at any time does not exceed 100 grams, but nothing in this sub-paragraph shall be taken as authorising any acquistition or keeping of explosives for which an explosive certificate is required by virtue of regulation 7 of those regulations, without a certificate. ( eg: smokeless or shooters powder by firearm or shotgun certificate holders)

"manufacture" includes

a) in relation to explosive articles, their repair, modification, disassembly or unmaking.
b)in relation to explosive substances, their reprocessing, modification or adaptation.

Regulation 12

A Health and Safety License is required:-

(a) For the manufacture of all explosives.

HOME OFFICE FIREARMS LAW ( GUIDANCE TO THE POLICE)

Authorities under section 5 of the 1968 Act

3.20 Before a decision is made concerning a particular application for an authority the chief officer of police in the area from which the application has been received will be asked if they have any objections to the grant of the authority. If an authority is granted, it will be sent to the applicant and copied to the chief officer of police. As a matter of policy, the Secretary of State would normally only grant authorities to for those with a legitimate commercial need to possess prohibited weapons, rather than for private use or speculative business interest. The chief officer will be informed of any case which an authority is refused or
revoked.

Prohibited weapons include:-

3.2. vi) any rocket launcher, or any mortar, for projecting a stabilised missile, other than a launcher or mortar device designed for line-throwing or pyrotechnic purposes or as a signalling device.

vii) any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing.

x) any rocket or ammunition not falling within (viii) above which consists of, or incorporates, a missile designed to explode on or immediately before impact and is for military uses .

vii any cartridge with a bullet designed to explode on or immediately before impact, any ammunition containg or designed or adapted to contain any such noxious as is mentioned in ( viii ) above and if capable of being used with a fiream of any descritption, any grenade, bomb or other like missile, or rocket or shell designed to explode as aforesaid.

I understand the venerable 65/35 KNO₃/sugar propellant is easy to cast, isn't very hygroscopic and offers a good, stable burn.

65/35 NaNO₃/sugar has a theoretically better performance (due to the lighter Na+ ion compared to the K+ ion, hence better specific impulse) but is more difficult to cast, is hygroscopic and tends to sputter without a burn rate catalyst (e.g. 1-2% Fe₂O₃).

What about Ca(NO₃)₂? The stuff has potentially even better performance than NaNO₃ (20g of Ca++ ions for 1 moles of NO₃, compared to 23g of Na+ ions for 1 mole of NO₃), but its performance as a propellant is poorly documented. Or Al(NO₃)₃?

Also, has anyone had any experience with calcium ammonium nitrate (5Ca(NO₃)₂.NH₄NO₃^.10H₂O) propellant? What happens if you try to heat it to convert it to an anhydrous form to drive off the otherwise inert water molecules that just add mass?