Cinnabar - A Different ROCK

Cinnabar the word came from ancient Greek which was “Kinnabari”  (κιννάβαρι) commonly looks like bright scarlet to bricks-red form of mercury(II) sulfide with a chemical composition of HgS.  It is the only important ore of mercury, because it is toxic, its pigment and jewelry uses have almost been discontinued. It is igneous metamorphic type of rock Cinnabar is usually found in rocks that form near volcanic activity or in hot springs.

It’s produced near the Earth’s surface from hot liquids that bubble up from deeper in the Earth. Most of the world’s mercury supply is obtained from cinnabar. Major cinnabar producers today include Spain, China, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, and parts of the United States.

 Cinnabar (mercury sulfide) is the single most toxic mineral to handle on Earth. The name of the crystal means dragons blood, and it is the main ore of mercury. Forming near volcanoes and sulfur deposits, the bright red crystals signal danger of the worst kind. Cinnabar may release pure mercury if disturbed or heated, causing tremors, loss of sensation and death.

In the Middle Ages and late 1700s, being sent to work in Spanish mines containing cinnabar formations was widely considered a death sentence.

 Cinnabar was widely used in Chinese history for ornamental food dishes, and intricate carvings were created from chunks of it, sometimes at the expense of the artisans. Even more incredibly, some ancient medical practitioners believed cinnabar held healing powers, and prescribed it for certain conditions.

Mercury exists in three forms—elemental mercury (pure metallic mercury), organic mercury (mainly methyl mercury, the form found in some fish) and inorganic mercury, such as the mercury (II) sulfide that makes up cinnabar. Unlike organic mercury, inorganic mercury doesn't contain carbon. The severity of mercury poisoning in humans depends on many factors, including the form of the mercury, the way in which the mercury is absorbed into the body (through ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption), the dose of mercury absorbed, the duration of the exposure, the frequency of the exposure, and the age and health of the affected person. 

Mercury poisoning can result in damage to the nervous and muscular systems as well as damage to the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and respiratory system