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Mercury ore (cinnabar) occurs around Puhipuhi, north of Whangārei, and small amounts were mined intermittently in the first part of the 20th century. In the photograph, a worker is shown filling metal bottles with mercury. Note that he wears no protective clothing. Mercury vapour is now known to be highly toxic.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Reference: 1/2-194262; F
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.