132 PHYSIOGRAPHY* 



Cinnabar. 



1. The Hepatic Cinnabar is a compound variety of Cinnabar, which 

 is impure, and having on that account a streak inclining to brown. The 

 dark red Cinnabar includes the crystals, and those compound varieties 

 in which the individuals are still discernible ; it is generally cochineal- 

 red. The bright red Cinnabar is friable, and of a scarlet-red color. The 

 compact Hepatic Cinnabar contains reniform massive varieties of a gran- 

 ular composition, consisting of impalpable individuals. The slaty Hepat- 

 ic Cinnabar is the same thing, only interrupted by irregularly streaked 

 smooth faces, which possess a slaty appearance. These however are 

 accidental, not having any relation to the composition itself. The Bitu- 

 minous Cinnabar consists of Cinnabar, intermixed with coarse coal or 

 bituminous shale. 



Before the blow-pipe, the pure varieties are easily volatilized. It is 

 soluble in nitric acid. On being sublimated, it crystallizes in columnar 

 masses. 



2. Analysis. 



By KL.APROTH. 



Mercury . . 84-50 . . 85-00 

 Sulphur . . 14-75 . . 14-25 



3. Cinnabar chiefly occurs in beds, accompanied by Native Mercury, 

 Native Amalgam, and sometimes only by Calcareous Spar and Quartz. 

 Some of its varieties have been found in veins, where they occur along 

 with several ores of iron. 



4. It occurs in beds in gneiss, at Richenaw in Upper Carinthia, and 

 at Hartenstein in Saxony ; also at Dumbrawa in Transylvania, in grey- 

 wacke. It is found included in irregular veins, situated in beds of lime- 

 stone, at Harmagor, Windisch-Kappel, and other places in Carinthia, but 

 particularly at Neumarktel in Carniola, the Palatinate, and Almaden in 

 Spain. At Idria. it occurs in beds of bituminous shale, with Bitumen 

 and dark grey sandstone, associated with limestone. Other localities are 

 Schemnitz, Cremnitz, and Rosenau in Hungary, at Horzowitz in Bohe- 

 mia, in tlie Erzberg, near Eisenerz in Stiria. The Hepatic Cinnabar 

 has been found only at Idria ; the bright-red Cinnabar at Wolfstein in 

 the Palatinate. Cinnabar likewise abounds in Mexico and Peru, in Chi- 

 na and Japan. 



5. It is used for the extraction of mercury ; if very pure, it is employ- 

 ed as a pigment in its natural state. 



