Bismuth from Pepto-Bismol

I earlier tried to add hydrochloric acid to Pepto-Bismol. It decolorizes, but the solution remains too thick to allow for any extraction of the bismuth chloride solution. To fix this, I add Pepto-Bismol drops to a dilute hydrochloric acid solution and stir. The drops break up and decolorize, and the bismuth dissolves. The solution is filtered and reacted with zinc metal. The zinc metal turns black as a thin smear of bismuth forms on the surface.

However, although Pepto-Bismol is widely available and relatively cheap, this is not a good way to produce bismuth metal. The amount produced is so small and so finely divided that it just stains filter paper. Here is how the zinc looked.