Cinnabar

Cinnabar is a mineral. It is the main ore of mercury and is made up of the chemical mercuric sulphide (HgS).

Cinnabar exists in two crystal forms. Red cinnabar is used for the pigment vermilion. It is poisonous, and may go black with age. The other crystal form is black, and does not react chemically to anything except strong acids. Cinnabar has a Mohs hardness of 2–2.5.

Cinnabar has been mined since the Neolithic age.^[1]

Cinnabar Media

Crystal structure of cinnabar: yellow = sulfur, grey = mercury, green = cell
Cinnabar mercury ore from Nevada, United States
Specimen composed of pure cinnabar, with the surface covered in crystals. Being an old specimen, they are partially darkened due to exposure to light. Almadén Mine, (Ciudad Real), Spain. Largest dimension, 6 cm.
Alchimia 1570 p 9.tif

Apparatus for the distillation of cinnabar, Alchimia, 1570

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