Tobias Menzies was born in North London, England, the son of Gillian (nÃ©e Simpson), a teacher, and Peter Menzies, a BBC radio producer. He has one younger brother, Luke, who is a solicitor.
Cinnabar is a toxic mercury sulfide mineral with a chemical composition of HgS. It is the only important ore of mercury. It has a bright red color that has caused people to use it as a pigment and carve it into jewelry and ornaments for thousands of years in many parts of the world.
As the most common source of mercury in nature, cinnabar has been mined for centuries, even as far back as the Neolithic Age. During the Roman Empire it was mined both as a pigment, and for its mercury content.To produce liquid mercury (quicksilver), crushed cinnabar ore is roasted in rotary furnaces. Pure mercury separates from sulfur in this process and easily evaporates.A condensing column is used to collect the liquid metal, which is most often shipped in iron flasks.s the most common source of mercury in nature, cinnabar has been mined for centuries, even as far back as the Neolithic Age. During the Roman Empire it was mined both as a pigment, and for its mercury content.