Since remote period mercury, due to its characteristics, has found many uses. Therefore its minerals have been important natural resources for the producing countries. Italy, as Spain, was a leader country in the production of mercury in Europe. The attention to this metal is related a) to its past role in various production cycles and in the Italian economy and b) to quick decrease of its production and consumption in the last years of XX century. The present paper involves a historical examination of the mercury production and underlines as the Italian economy it is affected by this metal. Then, industrial uses and global consumption of mercury are examined. At the end, the paper analysed the environmental impacts of mercury production and use, which are the main causes of its decline.
Sviluppo e declino di una merce: il mercurio
LAGIOIA, Giovanni;PAIANO, ANNARITA
2005-01-01
Abstract
Since remote period mercury, due to its characteristics, has found many uses. Therefore its minerals have been important natural resources for the producing countries. Italy, as Spain, was a leader country in the production of mercury in Europe. The attention to this metal is related a) to its past role in various production cycles and in the Italian economy and b) to quick decrease of its production and consumption in the last years of XX century. The present paper involves a historical examination of the mercury production and underlines as the Italian economy it is affected by this metal. Then, industrial uses and global consumption of mercury are examined. At the end, the paper analysed the environmental impacts of mercury production and use, which are the main causes of its decline.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
