Cinnabar means to gild silver and gold to objects) "the toxic properties of mercury were well known. It was dangerous to those who mined and processed cinnabar, it caused shaking, loss of sense, and death. Data suggest that mercury was retorted from cinnabar and the workers were exposed to the toxic mercury fumes." Overexposure to mercury, mercurialism, was seen as an occupational disease to the ancient Romans: "Mining in the Spanish cinnabar mines of Almadén, southwest of Madrid, was regarded as being akin to a death sentence due to the shortened life expectancy of the miners, who were slaves or convicts."
The K-Metal from Krypton The K-Metal from Krypton "The K-Metal from Krypton" is an unpublished Superman story written by Jerry Siegel in 1940 and originally illustrated by the Joe Shuster Studio. The reason why National Comics (later to become DC Comics) never published the story is not known. This storyline features the precursor to Kryptonite called "K-Metal" and Lois learning that Clark Kent is Superman. Like all Superman stories of the 1940s, the adventure originally had no title. The earliest known occurrence of the name "The K-Metal from Krypton" for the tale was in Gerard Jones' 2004 book "Men of Tomorrow". The story remained