Native mercury is unique for being the only metal that is liquid at standard room temperature. It typically appears as silvery, highly reflective droplets or coatings in association with cinnabar in mercury-rich deposits.

Hardness

Mohs

Luster

Metallic, brilliant

Transparency

Opaque

mineraluncommon

Native Mercury

Also: Quicksilver

Hardness: 0
Luster: Metallic, brilliant
Transparency: Opaque

Is this native mercury?

4-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch native mercury with a known reference. Native Mercury sits at Mohs 0, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: metallic, brilliant.
3
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: silver-white, tin white, gray white.
4
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: liquid.

Often confused with

Native Mercury vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Galena

Mohs 2.5-2.75

How to tell apart: Galena is the harder of the two (Mohs 2.5-2.75 vs. 0).

Compare →

Often found alongside native mercury

Minerals reported to co-occur with native mercury. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: Hg
Mohs hardness: 0
Density: 13.596 g/cm³
Colors: Silver-white Tin white Gray white
Luster: Metallic, brilliant
Transparency: Opaque
Crystal system: Trigonal
Crystal habit: Liquid
Cleavage: None
Rarity: Uncommon
Uses: Collector, Scientific research
Host rock: In hydrothermal deposits formed at low temperature and associated with hot springs

Where rockhounds find native mercury

Classic worldwide localities

New Almaden, Santa Clara Co., and Mt. Diablo, Contra Costa Co., California, USA
Terlingua, Brewster Co., Texas, USA
A noted locality at Almadén, Ciudad Real Province, Spain
Mount Avala, near Belgrade, Serbia
Idrija (Idria), Slovenia
Landsberg, near Obermoschel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: In hydrothermal deposits formed at low temperature and associated with hot springs. If you start seeing cinnabar, metacinnabar, calomel in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: liquid. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

More native mercury photos

Common questions

How do you identify native mercury?+

Mohs hardness is 0. Luster: metallic, brilliant. Common colors include silver-white, tin white, gray white.

Where is native mercury found?+

Notable localities include New Almaden, Santa Clara Co., and Mt. Diablo, Contra Costa Co., California, USA; Terlingua, Brewster Co., Texas, USA; A noted locality at Almadén, Ciudad Real Province, Spain; Mount Avala, near Belgrade, Serbia; Idrija (Idria), Slovenia.

Is native mercury safe to handle?+

Native Mercury contains mercury and calls for real care. Mercury is highly toxic through inhalation of vapors or skin absorption. Handle with extreme care using gloves and seal in airtight containers; do not ingest or heat.

What rocks look like native mercury?+

Native Mercury is most often confused with Galena. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with native mercury?+

Native Mercury commonly co-occurs with Cinnabar, Metacinnabar, Calomel, Terlinguaite, Eglestonite, Mercurian silver. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does native mercury form in?+

Where it forms: In hydrothermal deposits formed at low temperature and associated with hot springs. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is native mercury used for?+

Native Mercury is used in collector, scientific research.

Find native mercury on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.