23 APRIL 1994, Page 28

Red herring

Sir: I read with interest the article concern- ing 'red mercury' (`The phantom red ter- ror', 16 April), as we have been offered this substance several times in the past two years. The general market opinion here is that what is offered is either an oxide of mercury (which can be red), or liquid mer- cury with cochineal, neither of which are valuable or of use in nuclear bombs. One scientist turned metals dealer insisted that red mercury did exist and its chemical for- mula was: Hg2Sb207 + Lu, which I take to be an antimony/mercury oxide with added Lutetium. I haven't the slightest idea whether such a combination is possible, nor whether it is of value in a nuclear bomb or anything else.

I am convinced that the whole subject is a story whipped up to separate the gullible from their money.

Tim Worstall

TTE Metals, Moscow