Interesting New Information

[Clay Diggins]

Anther option if cinnabar is toxic at https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/cinnabar.htm

Yes reading is fundamental. From your linked article:

In cinnabar's natural mineral and pigmented form, it's not dangerous. However, when temperatures rise, it releases a mercury vapor which can be toxic if inhaled. "Mercury is toxic, but as long as the cinnabar isn't heated, the mercury is locked by the sulfur, making cinnabar low in toxicity," Ottaway explains.

Still, anyone handling any mineral, especially cinnabar, should wash their hands and exercise caution. "Sometimes cinnabar is found with droplets of native mercury, in its pure form on the surface and should not be handled because native mercury is easily absorbed by the body and is toxic," Ottaway says.

Also, cinnabar shouldn't be cut or ground without water to prevent the inhalation of particles, Ottaway adds. "Ground cinnabar should be handled with care, although ingesting small amounts is unlikely to cause harm because mercury sulfide just passes through your body unaltered," she says.

 

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[markmar]

Also " Elemental mercury is invariably associated with cinnabar (HgS) and could typically be found in association with orpiment and realgar as part of a volatile volcanic suite."
https://mineralexpert.org/article/mercury-native-element-mineral-overview

 

[Matthew Roberts]

Also " Elemental mercury is invariably associated with cinnabar (HgS) and could typically be found in association with orpiment and realgar as part of a volatile volcanic suite."
https://mineralexpert.org/article/mercury-native-element-mineral-overview

markmar
You are right about what azdave said concerning cinnabar.
As long as you don't do anything with cinnabar ore you're in little danger.
Jim and I both crushed and cooked the cinnabar and used a condensing column to draw off the liquid mercury and that is highly dangerous and care has to be taken.
Cinnabar will turn from sulfer to oxide at 650 + degrees Fahrenheit turning into liquid mercury. If you breathe or handle the mercury at this point you run the risk of mercury poisoning.

 

[markmar]

markmar
You are right about what azdave said concerning cinnabar.
As long as you don't do anything with cinnabar ore you're in little danger.
Jim and I both crushed and cooked the cinnabar and used a condensing column to draw off the liquid mercury and that is highly dangerous and care has to be taken.
Cinnabar will turn from sulfer to oxide at 650 + degrees Fahrenheit turning into liquid mercury. If you breathe or handle the mercury at this point you run the risk of mercury poisoning.

IMO, using proper gloves with any kind of ore, is the best way to avoid many troubles. And of course a proper mask when in a mine.

 

[markmar]

Clay Diggins quoted: " In cinnabar's natural mineral and pigmented form, it's not dangerous. However, when temperatures rise, it releases a mercury vapor which can be toxic if inhaled. "Mercury is toxic, but as long as the cinnabar isn't heated, the mercury is locked by the sulfur, making cinnabar low in toxicity," Ottaway explains."

Low in toxicity, doesn't means zero toxicity.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Water is toxic to humans if they drink too much.

 

[GreenBranch]

As I was walking along the top of the ridge and evaluating the terrain, I decided to take what looked like a more gentle route (red dots). Unfortunately it proved to be extremely difficult to push through the dense brush and not fall into hidden gaps between the rocks. It was a terrible, horrible route.

Looking forward to my next trip I remembered that the trees in the lower part of the ravine were larger and spaced further apart and the way easier to navigate, so I decided I'd try one of two alternate routes (yellow or green). Then it hit me!! Are those three red hills I passed?? If you pass three red hills, you've gone too far. No kidding! And what do you know? They kind of have the shape of three wickiups. And wasn't there a clue about having to pass between two large rocks or something?

It just keeps getting more interesting.

 

[Cubfan64]

Someone has to be very careful in handling these specimens. Azdave35 wrote how in his opinion Jim Hatt's demise was a result of his contact with that cinnabar ore he found in the same spot with Matthew's source.

I strongly suspect Jim Hatt's demise was directly linked to years of chain smoking

 

[Cubfan64]

markmar
You are right about what azdave said concerning cinnabar.
As long as you don't do anything with cinnabar ore you're in little danger.
Jim and I both crushed and cooked the cinnabar and used a condensing column to draw off the liquid mercury and that is highly dangerous and care has to be taken.
Cinnabar will turn from sulfer to oxide at 650 + degrees Fahrenheit turning into liquid mercury. If you breathe or handle the mercury at this point you run the risk of mercury poisoning.

I'm pretty sure that's what happened to John Wilburn with his retort at the BlueBird