Cinnabar

Cinnabar

SCIENCE / MINERALOGY
Cinnabar is mercury sulfide, HgS, and the principal historical ore mineral of mercury. It crystallizes in the trigonal system and ranges from bright scarlet and vermilion red to dark red-brown, occurring as crystals, granular masses, coatings, and earthy material. Its high density and vivid color made it important as both an ore and a pigment source.

GEOLOGY & FORMATION
Cinnabar is characteristic of low-temperature hydrothermal systems, hot-spring deposits, volcanic regions, and mercury-bearing veins. It precipitates from sulfur- and mercury-rich fluids relatively close to Earth's surface. Famous deposits occur in Spain, Italy, China, Slovenia, Mexico, and the western United States.

METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Cinnabar is traditionally associated with ambition, transformation, prosperity, passion, and using personal power deliberately. Its intense red color gives it strong symbolism around vitality and material action. It is often treated as a contemplative display mineral for clarifying goals and commitments rather than a stone for prolonged body contact.

KEY PROPERTIES
Transformation • Ambition • Prosperity • Passion • Confidence • Motivation • Personal power

CHAKRA: Root • Sacral
ELEMENT: Fire • Earth
ZODIAC: Leo • Scorpio
MOHS HARDNESS: 2–2.5

ACCURACY / TRADE-NAME NOTE
Mercury-bearing mineral. Do not ingest, grind, heat, make elixirs, or create dust; wash hands after handling friable material.