Proper Substitute For Mercury Metal, in alchemy and magick Options

Now I know Mercury is one of the seven planetary metals, I also know it is a miserable pain to find and nearly as expensive as gold when you have to ship it. I found a few old Mercury in glass thermometers some time ago but used them all now. Mercury nitrate salts work well I imagine but suffer from the same high price.

So assuming I don't want to use a plant with Mercury correspondence where do I look?

If I should use a plant can anyone suggest a good one?

This post has been edited by fatherjhon: Jun 12 2011, 10:30 AM

So assuming I don't want to use a plant with Mercury correspondence where do I look?

For talismans, Mercury is usually represented by brass, which is a general term for mixed metals.

I have seen people use aluminum for Mercury talismans, which makes some sense in view of its lightness and versatility, but in practice I have not found it to be effective. Aluminum for Uranus, yes... for Mercury, no.

The stones of Mercury are Opal and Agate, both of which are basiclly squashed and petrified remains of a variety of creatures or tissues, and which are both defined by their mixtures of colors.

For Alchemy? I dunno. You probably will need actual Mercury, which is one of the few ways metals can be separated and is still in use today in the gold refining industry.

For talismans, Mercury is usually represented by brass, which is a general term for mixed metals.

I have seen people use aluminum for Mercury talismans, which makes some sense in view of its lightness and versatility, but in practice I have not found it to be effective. Aluminum for Uranus, yes... for Mercury, no.

The stones of Mercury are Opal and Agate, both of which are basically squashed and petrified remains of a variety of creatures or tissues, and which are both defined by their mixtures of colors.

For Alchemy? I dunno. You probably will need actual Mercury, which is one of the few ways metals can be separated and is still in use today in the gold refining industry.

It seems the Chinese use a mercury sulfide know as red cinnabar for their alchemy, it is relatively cheap and benefits from not requiring a hazmat box for shipping.

Interesting, I have heard that Mercury has an androgynous nature, is that why mixed substances are used to represent Mercury? That could get confusing if you're putting together a fluid accumulator for a mirror where two are more metals are used. Especially, sense Brass is alloy of Tin and Copper - both planetary metals. Awhile back I used the last of my Mercury metal in a divination mirror that required all the planetary metals, if I had used brass instead of Mercury metal would that mean Mercury is over represented or does anything that uses Tin and Copper automatically involve Mercury in its effect?

This post has been edited by fatherjhon: Jun 13 2011, 01:05 PM

It seems the Chinese use a mercury sulfide know as red cinnabar

Interesting, I have heard that Mercury has an androgynous nature, is that why mixed substances are used to represent Mercury?

if I had used brass instead of Mercury metal would that man Mercury is over represented or does anything that uses Tin and Copper automatically involve Mercury in its effect?

I use cinnabar in Mercury seals for spirits, using ore from Arizona. The process is hazardous and haphazard. The result is red-orange.

Most cinnabar on the market is actually a resin lacquer with no mercury content.

Metallurgy has always been an obscure and esoteric art, shrouded in secrecy. In ancient times the formulae were guarded with severe measures, since weapons and technologies depended on proper alloy production. Specialized knowledge, training, and tools are needed to work metals, and I believe it is for this reason that mixed metals are the province of Mercury.

That is a subjective analysis, though, and is just my suggestion toward an answer at why mixed metals are considered Mercurial. Maybe you could also say that alloys represent relationships ("communication") between metals. It is clear that "brass" is a general term for mixed metals, with a very hazy line dividing what is mercurial and what is not. Is pewter mercurial? Is Corinthian Bronze? How about nickel silver? I don't know.

In some instances of older practices, I think mercury metal is indeed what is demanded. The toxicity of the substance was well-known - the death penalty was sometimes carried out by sending a person to the mines - but for whatever reason the dangers were ignored for esoteric research purposes.

I use cinnabar in Mercury seals for spirits, using ore from Arizona. The process is hazardous and haphazard. The result is red-orange.

Most cinnabar on the market is actually a resin lacquer with no mercury content.

Maybe you could also say that alloys represent relationships ("communication") between metals.

The toxicity of the substance was well-known - the death penalty was sometimes carried out by sending a person to the mines - but for whatever reason the dangers were ignored for esoteric research purposes.

Ha! Anyone who tries to summon a demon or something that might well eat your soul, is probability thinking its a good thing if minor poisoning is the worse they get.

Where do you get your cinnabar if I can ask? And more impotently how do you work with it to get a seal, presumably you compress it some how, but if its hazardous and haphazard then it must be more than it seems.

This post has been edited by fatherjhon: Jun 13 2011, 02:25 PM