Cinabrio

Cinabrio o bermellón es el sulfuro de mercurio mineral que se produce de manera natural (HgS). El mercurio inorgánico como el mercurio encontrado en el cinabrio es la forma menos tóxica de mercurio y tiene una larga historia en la medicina tradicional china, maquillaje romano antiguo, marca hindú Bindi en la frente y marcaje del cabello Sindoor, pero aún debe considerarse tóxico y manipularse con cuidado, especialmente en forma de polvo. El Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades de EEUU dice:

Inorganic Mercury: When eaten in large amounts, some inorganic mercury compounds can be very irritating and corrosive to the digestive system. If repeatedly eaten or applied to the skin over long period of time, some inorganic mercury compounds can cause effects similar to what is seen with long term mercury vapor exposure, including neurological disturbances, memory problems, skin rash, and kidney abnormalities.

Hay articulo informativo con referencias en owlcation.com que dice:

There is uncertainty about how poisonous cinnabar is and about the amount required to produce dangerous effects. Scientists generally recommend that we limit our exposure to all mercury compounds, however, including inorganic mercury.
People using cinnabar are warned not to inhale cinnabar dust and to be very careful when breaking the mineral in case dust is created. The mineral mustn’t be ingested or licked. In addition, it mustn’t be heated, which might trigger mercury vapor release. Opinions are divided about whether cinnabar is safe to touch. Mercury (ll) sulfide can be absorbed through the skin, but how much is actually absorbed from a lump of cinnabar mineral is unknown. Since there are unanswered questions about the mineral’s safety, it’s best to wear gloves when handling it.