The Many Faces of Mercury:

Mercury is one of the most common and dangerous PBTs (Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Substances). Also known as quicksilver, mercury is the only metal which is liquid at room temperature. In addition, it is “volatile”, which means that it evaporates into the air.

Mercury can also conduct electricity and blends readily with many metals including gold, silver and tin. Because of these unique properties, we use mercury for many different purposes- and our extensive use of mercury has contributed to a worldwide contamination problem.




Scientists use the symbol “Hg” for mercury. Hg comes from the Latin word Hydragyrum, which means liquid silver.

Miners find mercury in ores such as this sample of mercury sulfide, also known as cinnabar. Mercury is also found in the ores calomel, livingstonite, and corderoite.

Mercury’s density is 13.5 times that of water and its great cohesiveness property gives mercury droplets a unique shape.