Name 1
THERMOMETER WITH THALLIUM AMALGAM
Name 2
/
ID number
002.382.Idrija
Manager / Administrator
Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Center, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Republic of Slovenia
Local / Original ID Number
/
Type of Object
Daily life
Description
Short description
The thermometer with thallium amalgam is oblong and round. The temperature scale is from +4.5 to –58°C.
Measures
Length 45 cm, diameter 1 cm.
Materials
Glass, steel, thallium amalgam.
Dating
Second half of the 20th
Author / Producer
Haweco, Germany.
Picture attachments
Original use
The mercury passes into a solid state at the temperature lower than –38°C. Therefore, temperatures lower than that cannot be measured with it. Therefore, they started producing the thermometers with thallium amalgam. Thallium is a soft, expansible and extremely toxic metal. When mixed with mercury it forms an amalgam, which has a lower melting point (up to –58°C).
Present use
The thermometer with thallium amalgam is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the CUDHg Smelting Collection.Visitors can view them within the permanent museum display “From Ore to Mercury Drops” in the Hg Smelting Plant, which represents the characteristics and the versatile use of mercury in science, technology, medicine, culture and every day life. Within the mentioned exhibition the object is placed in the amalgam segment and it presents the usefulness of mercury for technical devices as well as wide temperature expandability.
Original location
CUDHg, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija
Present location
Hg Smelting Plant (From Ore to Mercury Drops), Arkova 50, SI-5280 Idrija
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The thermometer with thallium amalgam is well preserved. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premise is taken care off.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- CUDHg Inventory Book.
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
16. 3. 2018
Date Edited
Never