"D Murphy" wrote in message
...
It will burn your house down. Zirconium is like Tiatanium and Magnesium,
it
burns very hot and very bright. I thought Zirconium was controlled by the
NRC or somesuch.

We used to employ it in "Zircs", small electrical-short simulators for stage
pyro. The metal isn't exactly a "controlled substance", like illegal to
own, or anything. But virtually 100% of the world supply is tied up by
government buyers. They've essentially put a lockdown on the possibility of
anyone owning any zirconium except the random scrap from a small machining
job. Most short-circuit simulators and bullet hits now use titanium,
although one can still find "zircs" on the market.

Zirc burns very hot and vigorously, and has a spark pattern we call "senko
hanabi", where each spark branches and sparks again -- often several times.

You won't put it out easily once it ignites.

LLoyd