著者

矢嶋 澄策

出版者

Tokyo Geographical Society

雑誌

地学雑誌 (ISSN:0022135X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.72, no.4, pp.178-188, 1963-08-30 (Released:2009-11-12)

参考文献数

10

被引用文献数

1

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Survey of old records concerning the publication on mercury provides a very useful means to trace exhausted and forgotten mercury mines and thus complete the gaps in the distribution of mercury are deposits in the Japanese segments of the Circum-Pacific metallogenetic zone.The discovery of a mercury mineral in 198 A. D. is described in “Shoku Nihonki”, the earliest literature referring to the Japanese mercury. The mining of the metal in record, however, dates as far back as the Asuka period (600 A. D.) and a peak production was once reached during the Heian period. In those early days, mercury was used principally for medicine, amalgam base for gold-gilding on Buddha statues, and ship paint. The mining was operated throughout Japan by the “Niu” tribe, an ethnic group which was once headed by “Niuzuhime” in Yoshino region and later spread out searching for new deposits. “Niu” means cinnabar and also red color in Chinese. For this reason, villages in former mercury-producing district often bear the name of Niu and have shrines called “Niu Jinja” which are dedicated to Niuzuhime.It is also reported in literature that the search for mercury was also conducted by “Yamabushi”, a group of itinerant buddhist priest who travelled around the country carrying the will of Kobo-daishi, the famous founder of their sect.Although the occurrence of mercury in “Hitachi” and “Dewa” districts was mentioned in ancient literature, no mercury deposits have been discovered geologically in recent years. The mercury contents of reddish clays from these localities, however, are high enough to be indicative of the presence of such are deposits.

著者

矢嶋 澄策

出版者

一般社団法人 資源・素材学会

雑誌

日本鑛業會誌 (ISSN:03694194)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.68, no.770, pp.341-346, 1952-08-25 (Released:2011-07-13)

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In this paper, the writer first makes a historical research of mercury mining in Japan.Japan had stbstantial mercury production as early as 7th century, but since then the production showed downward trend and become none in and after 16th century, chiefly due to the lack of geological knowledge and mining engineering. Sine the beginning of this century, a number of new mercury mines were discovered, which brought forth a few tons of mercury only. But the discovery of the Itomuka mine in 1936 changed the whole feature. During the Pacific War, the mercury production in Japan showed peak production of 245 metric tons in 1944, 80 percent of which from the Itomuka mine. But the end of war cut the production sharply again, the Itomuka mine operating only.However, according to the writer's study, it is possible to vaise the production again.The writer states his geological and mineralogical study on the structures and origins of Japan-ese mercury mines, suggests advisable principles for prospection and illustrates profitable methods of mining, dressing and smelting for smaller mines from his 15 years study and experience at Itomuka mine. Then the writer con ludes that Japanese mercury mines, maney but comparably small and low-graded, will be able to meet domestic requirement not in the long future, if they are operated after study of special treatment.