amalgam
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An amalgam is a mixture of mercury combined with another metal, creating an alloy with distinct properties different from either metal alone. Historically, amalgams have been important in applications like dental fillings and gold extraction, though their use has become more limited due to health and environmental concerns about mercury.
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Arquerite, a natural amalgam of silver and mercury An amalgam is an alloy of mercury with another metal. It may be a liquid, a soft paste or a solid, depending upon the proportion of mercury. These alloys are formed through metallic bonding, with the electrostatic attractive force of the conduction electrons working to bind all the positively charged metal ions together into a crystal lattice structure. Many metals can form amalgams with mercury, with some notable exceptions including iron, platinum, tungsten, and tantalum. Gold-mercury amalgam is used in the extraction of gold from ore, and dental amalgams are made with metals such as silver, copper, indium, tin and zinc.
Formation