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White Vitriol: Zinc Sulfate from Zinc and Dilute Acid, Ure 1839
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Charlie

Created by

Charlie

14. October 2026DE
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White Vitriol: Zinc Sulfate from Zinc and Dilute Acid, Ure 1839

Zinc sulfate, white vitriol, is made most readily by dissolving zinc in dilute sulfuric acid, then evaporating and crystallising the solution (Ure, 1839). It was used in drying oils for varnish and in calico printers' resist pastes. Hydrogen comes off while the zinc dissolves: keep flames away. The picture: our diagram, zinc dissolving in acid and the crystals in the dish.
Intermediate
Two days

Instructions

1

Granulate the zinc

Melt the zinc in a crucible and pour it in a thin stream into a bucket of water so it sets as small grains, which dissolve faster.

Materials for this step:

Zinc IngotZinc Ingot50 g

Tools needed:

Clay Crucible - RefractoryClay Crucible - Refractory
Blacksmith ForgeBlacksmith Forge
Crucible TongsCrucible Tongs
BucketBucket
Chemical Splash GogglesChemical Splash Goggles
Rubber GlovesRubber Gloves
2

Dissolve

Put the grains in a beaker and add dilute sulfuric acid a little at a time, outdoors and away from flames, until the fizzing stops with a little zinc still left.

Materials for this step:

Dilute Sulfuric AcidDilute Sulfuric Acid0.8 liter

Tools needed:

Borosilicate BeakerBorosilicate Beaker
Glass Stirring RodGlass Stirring Rod
Balance ScaleBalance Scale
Chemical Splash GogglesChemical Splash Goggles
Rubber GlovesRubber Gloves
3

Filter

Pour the clear solution off the leftover zinc and filter it.

Tools needed:

Glass Funnel - StemmedGlass Funnel - Stemmed
Filter PaperFilter Paper
Borosilicate BeakerBorosilicate Beaker
Chemical Splash GogglesChemical Splash Goggles
Rubber GlovesRubber Gloves
4

Evaporate and crystallise

Evaporate it in a dish on the sand bath until a skin forms, then let it cool slowly. Drain the crystals, dry them on filter paper and keep them in a closed jar.

Tools needed:

Evaporating DishEvaporating Dish
Sand BathSand Bath
Filter PaperFilter Paper
Glass JarGlass Jar
Chemical Splash GogglesChemical Splash Goggles
Rubber GlovesRubber Gloves
5

Yield

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Materials

2

Tools Required

14

This blueprint makes

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Zinc Sulfate

Free

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