[Rockhounds] cinnabar lacquerware (was) How Toxic is Cinnabar?

[Kitty & Bill Heacox]

Hi Steve and List,

A few years ago I tried to find information about five decorative 
objects in our family which were called "Cinnabar"---two vases, a 
cylindrical box, a jar with a lid, and a plate.  Probably some of you 
have seen similar items:  they are a rich, slightly orange red color, 
and are carved---deeply incised---over nearly the entire surface with 
elaborate Chinese designs.  Most vases or boxes are lined on the 
inside with blue enamel. I checked the library (BC, that is, Before 
Computer) and later google (AC).  At that time I couldn't find any 
connection between the the objects and the mineral, and I assumed the 
name came from the color.

With the current discussion on this List I made another search and 
found the following, which is very informative:

http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/lacquerware.htm

Apparently cinnabar lacquerware was originally made with ground 
cinnabar mixed with lacquer, beginning over 2300 years ago, though 
cheap modern varieties contain polymer or other synthetic materials 
instead.  BTW, I didn't know that lacquer came from a tree called the 
lac tree!  The site displays pictures of items similar to ours.  The 
newest one of ours was bought in an antique shop in Japan in 1968, 
and the others were inherited and could be quite old.  Now I have to 
find an expert to try to determine if ours are valuable, and if they 
really contain cinnabar and should be treated with special care.

Aloha, Kitty

At 04:44 PM 1/30/2008, you wrote:
>Steve,
>
>Mercury is a hazardous element; most of the reported dangers for mercury
>are overblown. We're going to have problems in the not too distant
>future from the disposal of mercury containing fluorescent lights,
>including the new compact ones being forced as a replacement for
>incandescent bulbs. In Roman times being connvicted and sent to the
>mercury mines was a death sentence by mercury poisoning within three
>years. Mercury is a useful element, but it needs to be contained away
>from people.
>
>I have two specimens of Cinnabar.
>
>One minature is massive ore and has visible microdrops of mercury on the
>exposed face. It is mounted inside a plastic box kept in a display case
>in a well ventilated area. It is labeled Native Mercury on Cinnabar in
>my Elements shelves. I mounted it by hand (and washed up immediately)
>upon acquisition, and have not touched the specimen since.
>
>The second minature is a perfect 3/8 inch crystal in my Sulfides at the
>other end of the display case. I can handle the specimen, if I take it
>out, by the matrix the crystal is perched upon. No sign of mercury, so
>no enclosing box. I have never touched the crystal.
>
>Mercury is like radioactive materials. You want to prevent _any_
>ingestion or inhalation; touch should be avoided, and mucus membranes
>(including eyes) probably should be protected to prevent adsorbtion.
>Occasional skin contact is not a big issue (if cleaned reasonably
>quickly to avoid accidential ingestion), but any prolonged contact, even
>at ppm levels, is a serious issue.
>
>Avoid heat and direct exposure to sunlight as that can release mercury
>vapors. Follow reasonable precautions for any hazardous substance --
>keep away from kids and pets, avoid exposure, direct contact, and keep
>well ventilated, etc. -- I'm sure you know the drill.
>
>But you probably don't need to worry about the cinnabar, if you minimize
>handling, because it is (mostly) encapsulated in Opalite.
>
>Enjoy your specimen.
>
>Kreigh
>
>
>
>
>
>Steve Shimatzki wrote:
> >
> > Recently, I bought a specimen at an estate sale (Claude S. Bullen
> > Collection)   of "Cinnabar in Opalite."  I bought it because I don't
> > have any and it was pretty cool looking.  When I got it home and I
> > was explaining to my wife that Mercury comes from Cinnabar, she then
> > got worried about the children.   I didn't think anything of it, till
> > I started to do some searches.  Here I find conflicting information:
> >
> > "Body temperature is often enough to vaporize the mercury out of the
> > rock and this gas can be absorbed through the skin. "
> > (http://www.open-adit.com/mineralinfo/cinnabar.php)
> >
> > "A couple of decades ago, mercury was discovered to be very toxic for
> > any sort of contact with the human skin. So it has not been as
> > commonly used as it once
> > was..."   (http://www.minerals-n-more.com/Cinnabar_Info.html)
> >
> > "In the past some have raised health concerns about wearing cinnabar
> > of any kind next to the skin. Personally it doesn't worry me: the
> > amount absorbed by the body even over a long period will likely be
> > much less than the amount I received from many mercury-silver
> > amalgalm tooth fillings and the large amounts of pure mercury I
> > played with as a kid."  -
> > (http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=56535)
> >
> > So, any definitive word?  Should I have this double bagged/sealed and
> > out of direct sunlight and heat?   I'm assuming that cabbing and
> > polishing it would probably not be good, either then... But the
> > pictures of the pieces under the "pricescope" link above, look nice
> > and I briefly thought about working it.    All that and more... My
> > REAL Fear is that any increased heat of the specimen will vaporize
> > the mercury and my 2 young children would be exposed.   Possible, or
> > just overreacting dad because of worrisome mom?
> >
> > I'm leaning towards that last part right now, but I would appreciate
> > anyone's opinion to calm down my other half.
> >
> > Thanks
> >   -Steve
> >
> > Stephen Shimatzki
> > sjs132 at accesstoledo.com
> > http://www.shimatzki.com
> >
>
>--
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