Mercury silvering Mercury silvering Mercury silvering or fire gilding is a silvering technique for applying a thin layer of precious metal such as silver or gold (mercury gilding) to a base metal object. The process was invented during the Middle Ages and is documented in Vannoccio Biringuccio's 1540 book "De la pirotechnia". An amalgam of mercury and the precious metal is prepared and applied to the object which is then heated, sometimes in oil, vaporizing most of the mercury. The technique is dangerous since mercury is highly toxic, especially in its vapor phase. Mercury silvering can be detected through a variety of
Mercury cycle the application of the European Directives 96/61/CE (Integrated pollution prevention and control) and 96/62/CE (Ambient air quality assessment and management) in which emission limits for toxic trace elements, such as mercury, are clearly established, energy production plants using coal must control mercury emissions. In January 2005, the European Commission adopted a mercury strategy for reducing mercury levels in the environment. Mercury cycle The mercury cycle is a biogeochemical cycle involving mercury. Mercury is notable for being the only metal which is liquid at room temperature. It is a volatile metal and evaporates, though it takes quite a while to do