Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Mercury

The only metal liquid at room temperature, now phased out for toxicity but still used in small-scale gold mining and Chinese PVC.

Tech & minor metals · No. 46

  • Not on a critical list
  • HHI 4,178 · highly concentrated
Tech & minor metals · Foundation · Matter

The only metal liquid at room temperature, mercury is now a pollutant, and small-scale gold miners are its biggest human source.

Chart: Illustration: Mercury

Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Mercury's ore is cinnabar, mercury sulphide. Roasting releases mercury vapour, which is condensed into liquid metal. Primary mines now work mainly in China, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Three things to know
  1. A world mercury cartel ran from 1928 to 1972, and prices are still quoted per 76-pound flask.
  2. Relays, sensors, switches and valves held 65% of the mercury in US products, and dental amalgam 27%.
  3. The sources disagree: World Mining Data counts 1,202 t mined in 2024, while USGS puts mine output near 212 t, excluding the US.
The journey
  1. 1 Cinnabar oreMercury sulphide, or gold-silver ore
  2. 2 RoastingHeated in furnaces or retorts
  3. 3 CondensingVapour cooled into liquid metal
  4. 4 DistillingPurified to prime virgin mercury
  5. 5 End usesChloralkali, PVC catalysts, amalgam, switches
Covered in Criticality and geopoliticsCommoditiesHeavy inorganics: salt, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorusChemicalsScale, capacity and feedstock: which chemical plants get builtChemicalsOil, gas and coal: how they form, are found, moved and pricedEnergy
Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full