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A History of Mercury

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The Chemistry of Mercury

Part of the book series: Aspects of Inorganic Chemistry ((AOIC))

Abstract

The commonest ore of mercury is the red sulphide, cinnabar, from which the free metal can be obtained by simple heating in air. Droplets of mercury are also sometimes found in the veins of cinnabar. As far as can be ascertained, a knowledge of cinnabar and mercury first appears in the Mediterranean world about the fifth century B.C. Claims for earlier dates have so far proved insubstantial, though there is nothing impossible about them, since—as we shall see—cinnabar ink was used in China from 1100 B.C.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, France

    W. V. Farrar & A. R. Williams

Authors
  1. W. V. Farrar
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  2. A. R. Williams
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK

    C. A. McAuliffe

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© 1977 W. V. Farrar and A. R. Williams

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Farrar, W.V., Williams, A.R. (1977). A History of Mercury. In: McAuliffe, C.A. (eds) The Chemistry of Mercury. Aspects of Inorganic Chemistry. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-02489-6_1

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