| Mercury was known by Chinese and in Hindus even 2000 years BC. Cinnabar (HgS), the mercury ore, was easily isolated and widely used in these countries as well as by Greeks and Romans as a pigment (vermilion), remedy and in cosmetics. Dioscorides, the Greek physician of 1st century AD, extracted it from cinnabar distilling it on the iron lid of the vessel. It was called hydrargyros from hydor meaning water, and argyros that is silver, which was borrowed in Latin as hydrargyrum. The original Latin name was argentum vivum - living silver (quicksilver in English). |
| Mercury is a trace element with abundance 7.0x10-6 mass % in Earth& |