Have you heard of a mineral that can be poisonous to human beings? Cinnabar- the most toxic mineral known to man . Cinnabar (HgS or mercury sulfide), also known as the Dragon’s Blood, has been the main source of mercury in many parts of the world. It is usually found in areas near the volcanoes and tends to be associated with hot springs. Cinnabar has a bright red color that people used it as a pigment, jewelry, and ornaments for thousands of years. Noticing that exposure to it caused shaking, loss of sense, and death, people discontinued using it. Part of the National Geological and Paleontological Collections are 8 cinnabar specimens from the provinces of Leyte, Quezon, and Palawan. They were donated by the Matalom Ceramics Development Association, Billamar Mining, and Bureau of Mines (now Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau). Cool can sometimes be dangerous so the next time you visit the #NationalMuseumPh’s National Museum of Natural History, just admire the cinnabar from afar! Text and image by Geology and Paleontology Division © National Museum of the Philippines (2021)