Does liquid mercury occur naturally?

[plowter]

Does liquid mercury occur naturally?

Reason for asking is the story of the Chinese emperor, Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì, supposedly having in his tomb a river of flowing mercury on a model of China.

So who discovered the process of creating liquid mercury?

[jomifl]

mMercury metal liquid can easily be produced by roasting the sulhide ore in a flask and condensing the vapour. The process must have been discovered many times. It is possible for it to exist temporarily in nature but it would oxdise on a geological timescale.

[plowter]

Thanks jomifl.

Couldn't think of any countries that were famous for their lakes of mercury.

[woofgang]

Interesting link to a discussion about mercury in tombs
http://www.chinahisto...heir-mercury-sources/

[SUBHAJITRAHUL]

NO,LIQUID MERCURY DOES NOT OCCUR NATURALLY...

[Mamyalynne]

You are very shouty!

[DTCwordfan]

The most common form of Mercury is cinnabar (mercuric sulfide). As to its origins, it was known of by the Egyptians in 1500BC.....maybe the Chinese as well..... some of the mines in Spain have been around since 500BC....