Here is a brief summary of the isolation of mercury. The physical appearance of mercury is well known because of its use in many thermometers. However, this method forms the basis of commercial extraction. The prepared cinnabar ore is heated in a current of air and the mercury vapour condensed. The crude mercury is then washed with nitric acid and treated with air in order to remove impurities as oxides or into solution.
Further purification is achieved by distillation at reduced pressure.