A Dictionary of Arts: Cinnabar.

A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines; containing A Clear Exposition of Their Principles and Practice

by Andrew Ure, M. D.;
F. R. S. M. G. S. Lond.: M. Acad. M. S. Philad.; S. PH. DOC. N. GERM. Ranow.; Mulh. Etc. Etc.

Illustrated with nearly fifteen hundred engravings on wood
Eleventh American, From The Last London Edition.
To which is appended, a Supplement of Recent Improvements to The Present Time.

New York: D Appleton & company, 200 Broadway. Philadelphia: George S. Appleton, 148 Chestnut St.
MDCCCXLVII

1847

CINNABAR; the native red sulphuret of mercury. It occurs sometimes crystallized in rhomboids; has a specific gravity varying from 6.7 to 8.2; a flat conchoidal fracture; is fine grained; opaque; has an adamantine lustre, and a colour passing from cochineal to ruby red. The fibrous and earthy cinnabar has a scarlet hue. It is met with disseminated in smaller or larger lumps in veins, which are surrounded by a black clay, and is associated with native quicksilver, amalgam, with iron-ore, lead-glance, blende, copper-ore, gold, &c. Its principal localities are Almaden in Spain, Idria in the Schiefergebirge, Kremnitz and Schemnitz in Hungary; in Saxony, Bavaria, Bohemia, Nassau, China, Japan, Mexico, Columbia, Peru. It consists of two primes of sulphur, = 32.240, combined with one of mercury, =202,863; or in 100 parts of 12.7 sulphur + 87.3 mercury. It is the most prolific ore of this metal; and is easily smelted by exposing a mixture of it with iron or lime to a red heat in retorts. Factitious cinnabar is called in commerce VERMILION, which see, as also MERCURY.