Black Powder (Green Mix)
From PyroGuide
Green mix is an early step in the manufacturing of black powder for explosives. It is a rough mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulfur in the standard proportions (75:15:10) for black powder, but is not milled, pressed or corned. It burns much more slowly than black powder, when it chooses to burn at all; the deflagration is usually characterized by short, uneven sizzling followed by relatively long periods of smoulder. Green mix is merely an unfinished product and not generally used itself in any pyrotechnic or projectile applications.
Tutorial
Composition
| Potassium nitrate | 75 |
| Charcoal | 15 |
| Sulfur | 10 |
Method
Grind the charcoal into a fine powder. DO NOT use charcoal briquettes. They have unwanted materials in them(such as sand, clay and wood chips) that will ultimately reduce the quality of your black powder. Screen the charcoal often as it sometimes contains small pieces of wood (causing a slower burn-rate).
Grind each chemical separately as fine as possible using a coffee grinder (the finer the powder is, the faster it will burn). Grinding an oxidizer (Potassium Nitrate) together with fuel (Charcoal) with metal blades is a bad idea as it may combust. Screen the chemicals together by passing the mixture several times through a mesh screen.
Summary
This rough mixture as mentioned above burns poorly and leaves behind dross. It is sometimes used as prime due to the fact the red hot dross particles have better ignition properties than hot gases. The green mix is also used in the manufacture of meal powder.