Question

describe the extraction of mercury metal form its ore cinnabar (hgs)

Answer 1

Extraction of Mercury. Most of the world's mercury is obtained from itsmain ore, cinnabar or vermillion with the chemical structure mercurysulphide (HgS). Cinnabar is usually found in a massive or granular form but can also occur as small crystals shown below.

Answer 2

Mercury is obtained from its main ore, cinnabar or vermillion with the chemical structure mercury sulphide (HgS). Cinnabar is usually found in a massive or granular form but can also occur as small crystals. The main areas for cinnabar mining are in Italy and Spain which provide 50% of the worlds supplies.

Mercury can be obtained from cinnabar by heating the cinnabar ore the presence of air. The reaction of mercury sulphide with oxygen is shown below:

HgS + O2 → Hg + SO2

Another process of extraction:

HgS + Fe → Hg + FeS

4HgS + 4CaO → 4Hg + 3CaS + CaSO4