Britannica Sources used in this answer

Where is mercury found in Earth’s crust?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

A periodic table element box for mercury shows its symbol Hg, atomic number 80, atomic weight 200.592, electron configuration, and name. Icons indicate mercury is a transition metal, liquid at room temperature, has a rhombohedral crystal structure, and is weakly basic. — mercury Properties of mercury.

Mercury is present in Earth’s crust at an average concentration of approximately 0.08 grams per ton of rock.1

The primary ore of mercury is cinnabar, a red sulfide mineral. While cinnabar is the principal source, mercury can also be found in the following forms and locations:12

Native Mercury: Occurs in isolated drops or larger fluid masses, typically found in association with cinnabar near volcanoes or hot springs.1
Natural Alloys: Extremely rare alloys, such as gold amalgam, potarite (with palladium), and moschellandsbergite (with silver), have been identified.1
Geological Distribution: Cinnabar deposits have been discovered on every continent except Antarctica and occur in various types and ages of rock. These deposits are generally small and irregular, often appearing as veinlets or disseminated deposits.23

Additionally, mercury is frequently recovered as a by-product of large-scale gold mining operations.13