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 armour-piercing grenade is an artillery ammunition, which consists of a metal housing, explosive charge, igniter and bullet head. The metallic housing is in a shape of a tube and it is sharply ended. The charge and the primer were removed for safety reasons.
Measures
Length 55 cm, diameter 9 cm.
Materials
Steel.
Dating
First half of the 20th century
Author / Producer
Manufacturer information is not known.
Picture attachments
Original use
Armour-piercing grenades had different destructive power, depending on the amount of the filling. Mercury (II) fulminate - Hg(CNO)2, a very explosive compound, sensitive to vibration and shocks, was used in the production of grenades. Therefore, it was used as an initial explosive for triggering the explosion of the main bullet in the weapon.
Present use
The armour-piercing grenade 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 it 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 exhibition the object is placed in the density segment of mercury compounds and it represents the usefulness of mercury for military purposes.