De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556

Since I have written of the varied work of preparing the ores, I will now write of the various methods of smelting them. Although those who burn, roast and calcine[2] the ore, t...

Questions of assaying were explained in the last Book, and I have now come to a greater task, that is, to the description of how we extract the metals. First of all I will expla...

Different methods of parting gold from silver, and, on the other hand, silver from gold, were discussed in the last book; also the separation of copper from the latter, and furt...

Since the Sixth Book has described the iron tools, the vessels and the machines used in mines, this Book will describe the methods of assaying[1] ores; because it is desirable t...

Digging of veins I have written of, and the timbering of shafts, tunnels, drifts, and other excavations, and the art of surveying. I will now speak first of all, of the iron too...

Previously I have dealt with the methods of separating silver from copper. There now remains the portion which treats of solidified juices; and whereas they might be considered...

In the last book I have explained the methods of delimiting the meers along each kind of vein, and the duties of mine officials. In this book[1] I will in like manner explain th...

John Ferguson: _Bibliotheca Chemica_: A catalogue of the Alchemical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical books in the collection of the late James Young of Kelly & Durris, Esq., L.L.D....

The third book has explained the various and manifold varieties of veins and stringers. This fourth book will deal with mining areas and the method of delimiting them, and will...

Many persons hold the opinion that the metal industries are fortuitous and that the occupation is one of sordid toil, and altogether a kind of business requiring not so much ski...

If sulphur from the lye with which _sal artificiosus_ is made, is strong enough to float an egg thrown into it, and is boiled until it no longer emits fumes, and melts when plac...

Previously I have given much information concerning the miners, also I have discussed the choice of localities for mining, for washing sands, and for evaporating waters; further...

Qualities which the perfect miner should possess and the arguments which are urged for and against the arts of mining and metallurgy, as well as the people occupied in the indus...

[3] _Aqua valens_, literally strong, potent, or powerful water. It will appear later, from the method of manufacture, that hydrochloric, nitric, and sulphuric acids and _aqua re...

various fossils, geodes, emery, touchstones, pumice, fluorspar, and quartz; Book VI., gems and precious stones; Book VII., "rocks"--marble, serpentine, onyx, alabaster, limeston...

Questions as to the methods of smelting ores and of obtaining metals I discussed in Book IX. Following this, I should explain in what manner the precious metals are parted from...

The table in the note on page 109 refers to note 7 on p. 573. It would make more sense to refer to note 8, but was left as is.

[14] Fire-setting as an aid to breaking rock is of very ancient origin, and moreover it persisted in certain German and Norwegian mines down to the end of the 19th century--270...

A little of the regulus is taken from the crucible, but not from the gold lump which has settled at the bottom, and a _drachma_ of it is put into each of the cupels, which conta...

Agricola's time the term _molybdaenum_ was applied to substances resembling lead, such as graphite, and what we now know as _molybdenite_ (_MoS_{2}_). Some time in the latter pa...

_stein_, the same as the modern German for matte. Orpiment and realgar are the yellow and red arsenical sulphides. The _cadmia_ was no doubt the cobalt-arsenic minerals (see not...