伊德里亞

Idrija, in Slovenia, was for centuries the world's second-largest mercury mine after Almadén, worked for 500 years and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Five centuries of mercury

Mining at Idrija began around 1490 and continued into modern times, making it one of the longest-lived mercury operations in history. Its ore yielded both cinnabar and droplets of native, liquid mercury.

Signature minerals

Idrija is known for cinnabar — including the soft, earthy 'idrialite'-bearing ore — and for native mercury. Fine red cinnabar specimens from Idrija are historic collector pieces.