1and a certain white schist14.
But lead, its ashes, red-lead, ochre, and
litharge, are more efficacious for ores which melt easily; hearth-lead for
those which melt with difficulty; and galena for those which melt with
greater difficulty. To the second order belong iron filings, their slag, sal
artificíosus, argol, dried lees of vinegar15, and the lees of the aqua which separates
gold from silver16; these lees and sal artíficíosus have the power of penetrating
into ore, the argol to a considerable degree, the lees of vinegar to a greater
degree, but most of all those of the aqua which separates gold from silver;
filings and slags of iron, since they melt more slowly, have the power of heat
ing the ore. To the third order belong pyrites, the cakes which are melted
from them, soda, its slags, salt, iron, iron scales, iron filings, iron slags, vitriol,
the sand which is resolved from stones which easily melt in the fire, and
tophus; but first of all are pyrites and the cakes which are melted from it, for
they absorb the metals of the ore and guard them from the fire which con
sumes them. To the fourth order belong lead and copper, and their relations.
And so with regard to fluxes, it is manifest that some are natural, others
fall in the category of slags, and the rest are purged from slag. When we
litharge, are more efficacious for ores which melt easily; hearth-lead for
those which melt with difficulty; and galena for those which melt with
greater difficulty. To the second order belong iron filings, their slag, sal
artificíosus, argol, dried lees of vinegar15, and the lees of the aqua which separates
gold from silver16; these lees and sal artíficíosus have the power of penetrating
into ore, the argol to a considerable degree, the lees of vinegar to a greater
degree, but most of all those of the aqua which separates gold from silver;
filings and slags of iron, since they melt more slowly, have the power of heat
ing the ore. To the third order belong pyrites, the cakes which are melted
from them, soda, its slags, salt, iron, iron scales, iron filings, iron slags, vitriol,
the sand which is resolved from stones which easily melt in the fire, and
tophus; but first of all are pyrites and the cakes which are melted from it, for
they absorb the metals of the ore and guard them from the fire which con
sumes them. To the fourth order belong lead and copper, and their relations.
And so with regard to fluxes, it is manifest that some are natural, others
fall in the category of slags, and the rest are purged from slag. When we