From Alaska Inside Passage Island

[Malone]

53 minutes ago, DPS Ammonite said:

Both cinnabar and liquid mercury are relatively safe in reasonable quanties and are poorly absorbed by humans. Don't inhale large amounts of either as dust or liquid or inhale a large amount of fumes from roasting cinnabar as some miners did. The most dangerous thing about a chuck of cinnabar is being hit on the side of your head with it.

As with most rocks! If I had to pick one to be hit in head with I think I would pick chalk. If I had to pick a type of lumber to be hit with a 2x4 with, I would pick balsa wood. There are several types of "rock" that are toxic to humans , but most are dangerous to be hit in the head with. Most of the dwellings are made with asbestos but they are not friable until being torn into. If you start shaking/twiching uncontrollably you have exceeded your ability to tolerate mercury. Kinda like if you develop lung cancer you have exceeded your ability to tolerate asbestos. You are correct though, I am lucky I haven't exceeded either yet.