Cinnabar

le cinabre ou le vermillon est le sulfure de mercure minéral naturel (HgS). Le mercure inorganique comme le mercure trouvé dans le cinabre est la forme la moins toxique du mercure et a une longue histoire dans la médecine traditionnelle chinoise, le maquillage romain antique, le marquage du front Hindu Bindi et le marquage des cheveux Sindoor, mais il doit toujours être considéré comme toxique et manipulé avec soin, en particulier sous forme de poudre. Les Centres pour le contrôle et la prévention des maladies des Etats-Unis disent:

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.

Il y a un article informatif avec des références sur owlcation.com qui dit:

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.