Why is there zinc in pennies

With the undamaged post pennies, bubbles were seen on the surface by the third day of immersion in hydrochloric acid. Bubbles were not seen at any time on the silver-colored coins or the pre pennies. The surfaces of all of the coins grew increasingly dull as the duration of exposure to hydrochloric acid increased. Radiolucent erosions were radiographically visible on the post pennies within 24 hours of immersion in the hydrochloric acid.

After two days of exposure to the acid, full-thickness holes developed through the flat surface of these pennies. No radiolucent erosions or holes developed on the silver-colored coins or the pre pennies after seven days of exposure to hydrochloric acid. All of the coins lost weight over the seven days of testing. The quarter, nickel and dime lost 12 percent of their initial weight. The post pennies lost between 5 and 8 percent of their weight. The penny retrieved from the child weighed 26 percent less than would be expected.

The amount of weight lost in this penny far exceeded the amount of weight lost in the post pennies exposed in the hydrochloric acid experiment. According to the authors, the chemical reaction between gastric acid and post pennies yields a highly absorbable form of zinc, zinc chloride.

The zinc could have toxic effects. The two-year-old patient had absorbed a quantity of zinc that was equivalent to 22 cold-prevention lozenges. Reported toxic effects of excessive zinc absorption include local corrosion and ulceration of the esophagus and stomach, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and abdominal cramping. At least the copper is easier to track: All the copper used by the Mint more than likely originates in the United States. In , the Mint produced 8.

The same year, tons of copper was used to make "consumer products"-- including appliances, ammunition, electronics, utensils and coins. That means 86 percent of the copper destined for consumer products was used just for pennies.

Those tons don't include copper used for non-consumer goods, like airplanes, building hardware, and more. For zinc, the percentage is smaller—2 percent of the 1.

Getting all that ore out of the ground is costly, in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, pollutants, and power consumed. A analysis found that Western copper mines use The report also found that greenhouse gas emissions for copper mining operations in averaged 2. Copper mines, located mostly in Arizona, tend to be of the open-pit variety, which allows more substances to be released.

Mining involves blasting and chipping zinc-containing sphalerite ores away from the surrounding limestone, then crushing and processing the ores in chemical baths that separate the zinc from other minerals. At the smelter, raw zinc is roasted to remove sulfides, then sent through a leaching and purification process. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance.

Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Warning Only use the drop test on circulating pennies where you are sorting copper and zinc for the bullion value only. America's first one-cent piece, called the "large cent," was first struck in , one year after the Mint opened.

It was so big that it was hard to use, but it wasn't replaced by a smaller penny until , more than 50 years later. George Washington was our first President — but not the first President on a circulating coin In , President Lincoln appeared on a one-cent coin and became the first real person—as well as the first American president—to have his face appear on a regular-issue American coin.

We used to trade gold, silver, and copper A law directed American money to be made of gold, silver and copper. The dollar, half dollar, quarter, dime, and half dime were composed of silver. The cent and half cent were made of copper. How much was in that first batch?