Originally Posted by noylj

Find a Merck Index and look it up.
The main areas of concern (about 10 years ago, at least) are:
1) breathing mercury vapors while boiling to separate gold from the ore
2) organic mercury compounds, such as formed during blocking of hats and such.
I have had gold nuggets brought in that were covered in mercury and had to separate the mercury. No, you don't put gold nuggets in mercury, it is already a nugget.
Thermometers were considered a hazard not because of the mercury, which will pass through your system rather benignly, but the swallowing of the glass.
Almost everyone over the age of 30 or so has, or had, mercury amalgam fillings in their teeth. Never did show any hazard even with the "scare" in the '90s.
I vote for my Outer's Foul-Out. It is fast and thorough and is not abrasive. I want to keep my lands and grooves with nice sharp edges.