# I have a big chunk of cinnabar. Now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 30, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257 "2021-11-30T22:58:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/1 "2021-11-30T22:58:49Z")
Years ago, we were hiking on a trail in the mountains in Santa Clara County. We came across some pretty red rocks, and I took a chunk home with me. It’s about the size of a large man’s fist. My hometown has always talked about how poppy jasper is to be found nearby, so I always thought this rock was poppy jasper. However, for some reason I followed a link the other day and saw a chunk of rock that looked exactly identical to what I had. It’s cinnabar, from which mercury might perhaps be extracted. Cinnabar is another mineral to be found in Santa Clara County, and in fact was mined in the hills years ago, near New Almaden. This rock has sat as a mostly untouched curiosity on my desk at work for years. It’s a nice shade of muted red, and it looks more like a piece of raw chuck roast than a rock. Is it dangerous to handle it? Is it valuable to a rock collector? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/2 "2021-11-30T23:33:05Z")
If it’s just going to sit on your desk, it won’t be a problem. The toxicity can be released by trying to get the mercury from the stone so no problem there. I don’t know the value to rock collectors but many jewelers stopped using it rather than risk being around the dust. And don’t store it in a hot place. Perhaps donate it to a museum of natural history? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/3 "2021-12-01T02:14:22Z")
Just be careful not to confuse it for a large chunk of a cinnamon bar. The Venn Diagram for their respective uses has little overlap. ---
**Author:** ![3AxisCtrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/ecd19e/32.png) [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/4 "2021-12-01T02:36:56Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > Is it dangerous to handle it? Googling suggests that problems are related to eating cinnabar or inhaling its dust. Hazards from handling should be low provided you then wash your hands before eating. It would be a very bad idea to heat it, or let children play with it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/5 "2021-12-01T14:13:00Z")
Sell it to Cinnabon? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/6 "2021-12-01T15:32:15Z")
When I was a kid I had a book called “Cinnabar, The One O’Clock Fox”. Loved that book. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/7 "2021-12-01T15:53:45Z")
From the Wikipedia page on Cinnabar > [@](#): > > ## Toxicity[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cinnabar&action=edit§ion=7)] > > See also: [Mercury poisoning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning) > > Associated modern precautions for use and handling of cinnabar arise from the toxicity of the [mercury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_toxicity) component, which was recognized as early as in ancient Rome.[[27]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar#cite_note-Stewart14-27) Because of its [mercury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(element)#Toxicity_and_safety) content, cinnabar can be toxic to human beings. Overexposure to mercury, [mercurialism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercurialism), was seen as an occupational disease to the ancient Romans. Though people in ancient South America often used cinnabar for art, or processed it into refined mercury (as a means to gild silver and gold to objects) the toxic properties of mercury were well known. It was dangerous to those who mined and processed cinnabar; it caused shaking, loss of sense, and death. Data suggests that mercury was [retorted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retort) from cinnabar and the workers were exposed to the toxic mercury fumes.[[28]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar#cite_note-28) “Mining in the Spanish cinnabar mines of [Almadén](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almad%C3%A9n), 225 km (140 mi) southwest of Madrid, was regarded as being akin to a death sentence due to the shortened life expectancy of the miners, who were slaves or convicts.”[[29]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar#cite_note-29) So very much what **carnut** was saying, except that trying to use it in art or coloring or something, even without trying to separate the pure mercury, could lead to bad consequences. so don’t handle it too much. But sitting on your shelf it ought to be fine. > **[Cinnabar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar)** > > Cinnabar (/ˈsɪnəˌbɑːr/; from Ancient Greek κιννάβαρι (kinnábari)), or cinnabarite (/ˌsɪnəˈbɑːraɪt/), is the bright scarlet to brick-red form of mercury(II) sulfide (HgS). It is the most common source ore for refining elemental mercury and is the historic source for the brilliant red or scarlet pigment termed vermilion and associated red mercury pigments. > Cinnabar generally occurs as a vein-filling mineral associated with recent volcanic activity and alkaline hot springs. The mineral resembles... There’s also this > [@](#): > > # Exposure to Low Dose of Cinnabar (a Naturally Occurring Mercuric Sulfide (HgS)) Caused Neurotoxicological Effects in Offspring Mice > > The purpose of this study was to explore the neurotoxic effects of low-dose of cinnabar (10 mg/kg/day) on developing mice. The results revealed neurobehavioral defects in F1-C-Cin group, which were associated with Hg accumulation, increased NO _x_ levels in whole blood, and Na+/K±ATPase activities in brain tissues. so don’t eat it. Even a little bit > **[Exposure to Low Dose of Cinnabar (a Naturally Occurring Mercuric Sulfide...](https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2012/254582/)** > > Cinnabar, a naturally occurring mercuric sulfide (HgS), has long been used in Chinese mineral medicine for more than 2000 years. Although mercury is well-known for its toxicity, whether cinnabar induces neurotoxicity, especially in infants and... ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/8 "2021-12-01T17:33:59Z")
My piece looks almost exactly like that piece in the Wikipedia photo, **CalMeacham**. Those articles alarm me and I think I’m going to toss it. I don’t want to end up dying from mercury poisoning, like Louisa May Alcott. It’s a shame, though. It’s a handsome piece of rock and it has a flat side which makes it an ideal paperweight. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/9 "2021-12-01T18:10:13Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > My piece looks almost exactly like that piece in the Wikipedia photo, **CalMeacham**. Those articles alarm me and I think I’m going to toss it. I don’t want to end up dying from mercury poisoning, like Louisa May Alcott. That seems unlikely. She was dosed with a mercury compound, and unless you’re gnawing on your sample, you oughtn’t to be ingesting it. (And apparently some now think that she might have had an autoimmune disease, not mercury poisoning). But you could always put it in a sealed see-through case, or even coat it with a transparent coating. No need to throw it out. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/10 "2021-12-01T23:14:50Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > But you could always put it in a sealed see-through case, or even coat it with a transparent coating. No need to throw it out. That’s what I was wondering about. Plastic display case, or even coating with acrylic (though it discolors after a while). ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/11 "2021-12-02T00:05:38Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > It’s a shame, though. It’s a handsome piece of rock and it has a flat side which makes it an ideal paperweight. If you encase it in resin it would prevent accidentally mercury exposure but would still look like a pretty rock and still make a great paperweight. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/12 "2021-12-02T08:43:28Z")
I think you should carve it into the shape of a pine cone. Then you would have a cinnabar pine cone. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/13 "2021-12-02T09:21:11Z")
It’s interesting that the place you found it is called New Almaden. [Almadén](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almad%C3%A9n), in Ciudad Real, Spain, has the biggest mercury deposits in the world and was exploited already by the ancient Romans. 250.000 metric tons of mercury have been extracted so far, according to Wikipedia, but the mines were closed 2002 due to the toxicity of mercury. There are no mercury mines left in Europe, it seems, but those in Almadén are now a tourist attraction. The mines in Santa Clara County must be quite old if they have this Spanish names related to mercury’s history. I would keep it. You have had it so long and it has not killed you yet, you seem to be handling it correctly. Just don’t lick it and don’t use it to colour your goulash, bortsch or paella. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/14 "2021-12-02T09:46:43Z")
Instead of tossing it, get a lucite box for it and seal it into it, or perhaps coat it with polyeurethane ---
**Author:** ![Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/section_maker_jupe/32/1424_2.png) [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Section_Maker_Jupe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/15 "2021-12-02T15:50:21Z")
Could be other minerals as well. Iron oxide colors many rocks red. Cinnibar’s hardness is very low(2-2.5) so a simple scratch test might help identify it, Or just take it to a local college for ID? Grinding and sanding rocks and minerals is where most of the hazard lies. (long time rockhound here) “I brake for rocks” ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/16 "2021-12-02T16:12:21Z")
Yep, New Almaden is named after the Almaden in Spain, and there was a huge mining community built around our local Almaden. There was (and still is) a town and a big community building and hotel to house the miners. It was all built on cinnabar, which mineral was used in helping to process the gold which was mined in the Sierras back then. They mined cinnabar so vigorously that lakes and streams near the area have warning signs posted on them to let you know that the water is tainted with mercury and not to drink it nor to eat fish caught there. I found my rock in hills not five miles or so from the town of New Almaden, so Occam’s Razor says it’s cinnabar. ---
**Author:** ![Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/section_maker_jupe/32/1424_2.png) [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Section_Maker_Jupe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-big-chunk-of-cinnabar-now-what/955257/17 "2021-12-02T16:47:40Z")
Yes I think you are correct. Occams Rocks! We have abandoned mercury mines down here through the central coast as well. I’ve visited one or two, really toxic areas. Including one just over the hill from Santa Barbara The mine workings are interesting to observe, and the discarded rock dumps often have colorful specimens.