S. B. Christy— Genesis of Cinnabar Deposits. 453 
Art. LVIII.—On the Genesis of Cinnabar Deposits ;* 
by S. B. Curisty, Ph.B. 
THE study of the origin of mineral veins has developed no 
fact more clearly than the great importance as a transforming 
agent of solutions of the alkaline sulphides and carbonates. A 
constantly increasing number of geological phenomena are be- 
ing ig geen by their influence, and the importance which was 
given to the sublimation theories by the older geologists is 
B adusily ee 
The ores of mercury, however, partly from the fact that the °y 
have been but little studied, an partly from the ease wit 
which they are volatilized, together with the difficulty of 
accounting for their solution in any of the reagents which 
exist in nature, have generally been regarded as formed by sub- 
limation. Even in so recent a work as that of M. H. Kuss, 
(Mémoire sur les Mines et Usines d’ Almaden, reprint from 
Annales des Mines, p. 47), the author says: “ We should 
always recognize in cinnabar the character of a hp substance 
carried to the surface very probably in a state o 
The purpose of the present paper is a discussion ‘of the two 
theories as to the a of cinnabar deposits. We shall 
endeavor to find an answer to the question, “ Are cinnabar 
deposits produced "Ni sublimation, or are they deposited from 
solution?” In considering this question, it will be necessary to 
briefly review the facts to be explained, and the present state of 
knowledge of certain of the ——— of mercury. The sub- 
ject will therefore be divided as follo 
First. The facts to be axplainedice brief ot of the na- 
ture of some of the more important cinnabar its. 
Second. Some of the more important: propeeties of cinnabar. 
Third. The results of some original investigations upon this 
subject. 
Pork A comparison of the relative probabilities of the two 
theories. 
First.—Tut CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME OF THE MORE IMPOR- 
TANT CrnnaBAaR Deposits. 
I begin with the deposit with which I am personally 
quainted, that of New Almaden. This has already been ‘batt 
deseribed by Professor Silliman in pad baron, but a statement 
of its princi ints may not be out of place. 
The N page rs iickadiver mine is situated about thir- 
teen miles southwest of San Jose, California, in a low range of 
* A paper read before the Geological Section of the California Academy of 
Sciences, Dec. 14, 1878. 
