Explanation

Cinnabar, also known as ghost cinnabar, cinnabar, red lead and mercury sand, is a mercury sulfide (HgS) mineral. Containing 86.2% mercury, it is the main raw mineral material for mercury smelting; Its crystal can be used as an important materials in laser technology. It is also a traditional Chinese medicine with sedative, calming, and bactericidal effects. In ancient China, it was used as an important raw material for alchemy. In the past, it was named after the best quality produced in Chenzhou (now Yuanling, Hunan and other places). The crystal belongs to the trigonal system, which is homogeneous with the black cinnabar of the equiaxed system. Often in rhombic or short cylindrical shape; It is common to see through twin. Complete cleavage with parallel cylindrical surfaces. Aggregates are granular, blocky, or membranous in shape. Morse hardness 2.5, specific gravity 8.10. The color is often red. The surface of crystal is striped red and translucent. Pure cinnabar is diamond luster, vermilion; Containing impurities, the color is dull and brownish red. It is a typical low-temperature hydrothermal mineral, genetically related to modern volcanic activity. China is a major producer of cinnabar, mainly from Xinhuang, Hunan, Tongren, Guizhou, etc. Other places of origin in the world include Almaden in Spain, Yudelio in Italy, and the coastal mountains of California in the United States. The crystal form is either plate-shaped or columnar, with double crystals commonly interspersed. Cleavage development. The hardness is small, 2-2.5. The specific gravity is relatively high, at 8.09. The powder of ghost fairy cinnabar is red and can last for a long time. China has a long history of using cinnabar as pigment. "Painting vermilion oracle bones" refers to grinding cinnabar into red powder and inlaying it in the inscriptions on oracle bones to show eye-catching, which happened thousands of years ago; The "Zhu Bi Imperial Approval" refers to the approval written by emperors in feudal society using cinnabar red powder for the purpose of eye-catching and long-term preservation.

Classification