One of the scientifically accepted standards defining a mineral is that a mineral must have a crystal structure, which Mercury lacks. Mercury occures as small liquid blobs perched atop or in the crevices of mercury ores . It only occurs as tiny blobs on top of the mercury ores Cinnabar and Calomel . The tiny blobs are lodged in small crevices or pores, or they just stick to the associating mineral. The blobs do not roll around or fall off the associating mineral, but stay in a single place unless they are tampered with.
Mercury boils at a very low temperature, and disappears as fumes when heated.
Because Mercury is a liquid, it is not possible for it to have a streak, hardness, cleavage, or crystals. Uses Native Mercury is only of use to the mineral collector as a specimen of interest. The amount of mercury mined with the ores is too insufficient to mention Mercury as an ore. Mercury has many industrial uses, as it is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. It is used in many scientific and household devices, such as the mercury thermometer.