Agricola, Georgius, De re metallica, 1912/1950

Table of figures

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              <s>
                <pb pagenum="397"/>
              and a quarter of a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              líbra
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              of argol; they should be melted in a crucible on a
                <lb/>
              slow fire for three hours, then the alloy is put into molten silver that it
                <lb/>
              may melt more rapidly. </s>
              <s>Or a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              líbra
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              of the same crude gold, crushed up, is
                <lb/>
              mixed together with half a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              líbra
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              of
                <emph type="italics"/>
              stíbium
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              likewise crushed, and put
                <lb/>
              into a crucible with half an
                <emph type="italics"/>
              uncía
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              of copper filings, and heated until they
                <lb/>
              melt, then a sixth part of granulated lead is thrown into the same crucible.
                <lb/>
              </s>
              <s>As soon as the mixture emits an odour, iron-filings are added to it, or if these
                <lb/>
              are not at hand, iron hammer-scales, for both of these break the strength of
                <lb/>
              the
                <emph type="italics"/>
              stíbíum.
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              </s>
              <s> When the fire consumes it, not alone with it is some strength
                <lb/>
              of the
                <emph type="italics"/>
              stíbíum
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              consumed, but some particles of gold and also of silver, if it
                <lb/>
              be mixed with the gold
                <emph type="sup"/>
              29
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              . </s>
              <s>When the button has been taken out of the
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              crucible and cooled, it is melted in a cupel, first until the antimony is exhaled,
                <lb/>
              and thereafter until the lead is separated from it.</s>
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            <p type="main">
              <s>Crushed pyrites which contains gold is smelted in the same way; it
                <lb/>
              and the
                <emph type="italics"/>
              stíbíum
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              should be of equal weight and in truth the gold may be
                <lb/>
              made from them in a number of different ways
                <emph type="sup"/>
              30
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              . </s>
              <s>One part of crushed
                <lb/>
              material is mixed with six parts of copper, one part of sulphur, half a part of
                <lb/>
              salt, and they are all placed in a pot and over them is poured wine distilled
                <lb/>
              by heating liquid argol in an ampulla. </s>
              <s>The pot is covered and smeared
                <lb/>
              over with lute and is put in a hot place, so that the mixture moistened with
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              wine may dry for the space of six days, then it is heated for three hours over
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              a gentle fire that it may combine more rapidly with the lead. </s>
              <s>Finally it is put
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              into a cupel and the gold is separated from the lead
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              31
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              .</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>Or else one
                <emph type="italics"/>
              líbra
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              of the concentrates from washing pyrites, or other stones
                <lb/>
              to which gold adheres, is mixed with half a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              líbra
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              of salt, half a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              líbra
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              of argol,
                <lb/>
              a third of a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              líbra
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              of glass-galls, a sixth of a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              libra
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              of gold or silver slags, and a
                <lb/>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              sicílícus
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              of copper. </s>
              <s>The crucible into which these are put, after it has been
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              covered with a lid, is sealed with lute and placed in a small furnace that is
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              provided with small holes through which the air is drawn in, and then it is
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              heated until it turns red and the substances put in have alloyed; this should
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              take place within four or five hours. </s>
              <s>The alloy having cooled, it is again
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              crushed to powder and a pound of litharge is added to it; then it is heated
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              again in another crucible until it melts. </s>
              <s>The button is taken out, purged of
                <lb/>
              slag, and placed in a cupel, where the gold is separated from the lead.
                <lb/>
                <lb/>
              </s>
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