Take .................... this water extracteth silver out of the poor
mines of silver, sand, and stones; the operation of the same, is like
the former one, and its increase is like the increase of the former
water, so that after this manner silver may be plentifully extracted
out of poor minerals, and no other cost is required besides fire.
_N. B._ Instead of .......... may .......... be taken since it performs
the same thing in extracting, which the other performeth.
XLIV. _Another easie manner of plentifully extracting gold, and
silver out of poor minerals, it being of little or no cost._
Mix thou the mine or minerals with the requisite waters, fill with
the same .................... of good earth, set them near each other
in a great .......... put it in .......... and distill the spirits,
which pay all the charges, and which supply gold and silver without any
costs, the which is to be received by lead.
XLV. _Another more easie manner of extracting gold and silver out
of minerals._
Mix the mine or mineral with the requisite waters, and moisten it by
degrees, cast the whole into .......... the spirits depart into a
receiving vessel, and in the time of distillation, the gold and silver
are dissolved by that dissolvant, the which being extracted, remain
with or among .......... and are rinced by water out of the mineral, so
that they are attained without costs, and the spirits being collected
in the receiving vessel, do recompence all charges.
XLVI. _An easie operation of plentifull extracting gold and silver
out of fat white Clay or Potters-earth._
Although gold and silver be extracted out of minerals by moist waters,
by a troublesome operation as we have taught in the beginning, yet such
an extraction brings no small profit, because they may be freed from
those waters by precipitation; and those very waters do readily serve
for the making or preparing of Salt Peter. With a fat Argilla or white
Clay, the matter goes otherwise, because the spirit hath crept into
the fat earth, and scarce a half part is received, unless the earth be
first deprived of its fatness by making burning bright, it being that
which doth also require its own peculiar labour.
Seeing that therefore in all places of the world, wheresoever earth is
found, such fat white Clays containing gold and silver do plentifully
offer themselves, and none hath been hitherto found, who hath
indeavoured to extract and bring them to use, especially whenas they
contain but little of gold or silver, not able to defray the charges of
the lead bestowed.
I could not but open a very easie way of performing that thing with no
small profit, the which is perfected by the following labour.
Mix such an earth containing gold or silver, with .......... or of
that greater one, and cast it by degrees into my first or second
Distillatory Furnaces, and draw forth the spirits by distilling, that
the solved gold or silver may remain in .................... From that
which is broken by a Mill or grinding .......... is washed off with hot
water, and is reduced by lead as is shewed before.
XLVII. _After what manner by the help of art, gold may be easily
and plenteously extracted from the sand of =Granates=, =Agaths=,
=Saphyrs=, and =Rubies=, and other stoney Mineral earths, which
do neither admit of fusion, nor Lead, nor sharp Waters._
It is certain that all _Granates_ or Marbles, the red, black,
ash-coloured, duskish, also of whatsoever colour they are, or
wheresoever they are found, whether in Brooks or Rivers, or in Sand,
or fat Earth, or in high Rocks, do always contain much of Gold, but
that by reason of their glassy nature, they cannot be tamed by _Aq.
fortis_’s, and by reason of their most difficult fusion cannot be
wrought by Saturn or Lead; for that cause they have made none partaker
of their gold, and they have been neglected as unprofitable earths,
whenas notwithstanding they being handled by little labour, they are
able to afford much gold.
Some one therefore may ask, because they cannot be subdued either by
lead or _Aquæ fortis_’s, what course must be taken, that gold may be
extracted out of their bowels? I answer. .................... and
also by a Fusible .................... they may be so overcome, that
the gold which they have may be withdrawn from them with profit, for
.......... because they can bear the fire, they are .......... and
perform by a double labour, one through their sharpness, and another by
reason of a strong fire, so that nothing is safe from so great forces,
but all things are constrained to yield unto so great violence. Hence
they do willingly afterwards enter the Salt of Lead, and in time of
melting do readily draw out their gold.
XLVIII. _A most firm demonstration, that sharp Waters and Salts
after the manner of the ways hitherto described, do draw forth
more Gold and Silver as it were without cost, out of Mines or
Minerals containing Gold and Silver, than sumptuous or costly
melting Fires._
It is not unknown to every one that is seasoned but even with a mean
knowledge of gold bearing Mines, that without the addition of Lead
or other flowable things, Gold can in no wise be melted out of them,
whenas therefore there is little Gold in those, and nevertheless much
of Lead or other matters is required to be added for an easie fusion or
melting sake, who shall be fit for the undergoing of so great costs?
Hence it hath come to pass that such poor minerals could bring nothing
of profit in common.
It being also granted, that there is so much of Gold and Silver in
Minerals, that they will defray the charges of fire and fusion, and
afford Gold and Silver with profit, yet such operations are not
comparable to my inventions using Waters and Salts, no more than as
Water to Wine, or Night to Day.
For first, fusion or melting far exceeds in its costs the extraction
which is perfected by Salt and Waters. And then it can never be brought
to pass that fusion should expell all the Gold and Silver out of Mines
and Minerals, but leaves some thereof in the drosses, next also there
is made a loss of all the volatile Gold and Silver, which are cast
forth by a most strong fire, and driven away into the air; on the
contrary, of the more ample and wealthy profits, which the extraction
of Gold and Silver out of Minerals bringeth, this is not the least,
that not onely all the Gold and Silver which is fixed, is drawn out
without any detriment or loss, but also those two metals being as yet
volatile are extracted at once and made fixt and constant in the fire,
whenas notwithstanding by the vehemence of a melting fire, they are
wholly dispersed and reduced into nothing. For the Waters of Salts do
fix the volatile fugative spirits of Gold and Silver, the which by the
vehement blasts of Bellows, are rendred as yet far more volatile, so
that by the help of fusion scarce half the Gold is gotten which the
extraction by the Waters of Salt affordeth.
Add to this, that not onely all the Silver and Gold, as well the
volatile as the fixt is gotten together without any loss, but also the
charges of Coals are far less, and one operatour may perform as much of
this extraction of Gold and Silver, as three in the labour of fusion or
melting.
From hence it is easily to be seen, how much profit and fruit may be
gained by this my most excellent invention in all places of _Germany_.
For this extraction is not onely for extracting Gold and Silver as well
out of rich as poor Mines, but also snatcheth out all the Gold and
Silver, in Flints tinged with any colour, wherewith all Brooks, Rivers,
and Fields are filled.
Now follow some particular transmutations of the imperfect Metals into
more perfect ones, by common fire, and Crude Salt, and by the not
common con-centred moist fire of Salt.
XLIX. _A fundamental and evident demonstration, that a true
transmutation, or trans-changing of Metals may be exercised in
all places of the earth, wheresoever Men may dwell, yea in the
least Cottages of Countrey folks, and indeed by the same matters
and vessels which are found in them._
It is well known, that even the poorest and vilest or meanest Countrey
can want neither fire, nor salt, nor earthen vessels, necessary for
the boyling of Meats. Therefore being furnished with Salt, a piece of
Copper of some old Kettle shall easily supply him, the which it shall
be free for him, by fire and salt to trans-change into a better and
more noble body, but because Man hath a far better and commodious Salt
for the transmutation of Metals in his possession, which excells common
Salt in its goodness, he may of right and worthily make use of his
own proper Salt before a strange and foreign one, and that after this
manner.
Boil thy own, or the Urine of another man, to the consistancy of Honey,
in which decoction, all the unprofitable moisture of the Urine departs
by exhalation, and the Salt thereof remains in the Kettle or earthen
Pot; admix thou with this condensed Urine, so much of _Calx-vive_,
or the ashes of burnt Woods, that it may come into a thick or gross
lump. But thin plates of Copper cut in pieces, and purged by making
them bright burning hot ought to be in readiness, and also an earthen
Pot having its Cover, wherein let that mass of Urine, and _Calx-vive_,
together with the thin plates of Copper be put; when thou hast all
these things in a readiness, mix the Urine as abovesaid with the
_Calx_ or slack-lime or ashes, and fill thy Pot to the height of three
or four fingers, upon which put some of the plates of Copper, and so
_stratum super-stratum_ till the Pot is full, then cover it with its
Cover, which thou shalt well fence with Lute made of Meal, Water, and
Paper, that not any vapour at all may come forth. For assoon as the
_Calx-vive_ is mixed with the condensed or co-thickned Urine, the
Spirit of Urine begins to operate by its own proper efficacy, and
therefore it is necessary that the Cover be straightway laid on the
Pot, and be fenced with a due Lute or Clay; the Pot being thus filled
and cover’d, set it aside in some certain place for the space of half
a year, in which time the spirit of Urine being stirred up by the
_Calx-vive_, displays its virtues on the Copper, and exalts it into a
higher degree, as that it is tinged of a skie and green colour mixed,
and is rendred fit for the Painters Art; one pound whereof is more
worth than two or three pounds of Copper, one pound whereof doth for
the most part render one pound with four or five ounces of this colour,
and so it affords a profitable transmutation of Copper.
L. _After what manner, out of this partly Green, partly Skie-colour
of Copper, Gold and Silver is to be separated._
He that desires to separate Gold and Silver out of this colour,
whereof no great masses are attained, but onely and alone whereby it
is demonstrated that the thing may be done, he must use the following
operation.
First, he must take good heed in taking the colour out of the earthen
Pot, lest any thing of the mass of the Urine, and _Calx_ be mixed with
the beautifull colour, and render it impure.
The thin plates being taken out, they are to be often crookedly bowed,
and moved upwards and downwards, that the colour may fall off from the
plates like scales. The remaining Copper which is not yet turned into
colour, is reserved for a new labour; to be repeated after the same
manner. Wine-vinegar is poured on the colour, or the sharp water of
Tartar extracted after the Distillation of adust Wine from its Lees,
with water by decoction, and it is to be so long boiled in a Copper
Kettle, or an earthen Pot glazed, till all the colour shall be solved;
the Solution being cast into a Filtre, the Vinegar or Water of Tartar
onely passeth through, and a reddish powder is left in the Filtre, the
which being melted with Lead in a Cupel, after the exhalation of the
Lead, it leaves a grain of Gold. For the spirit of Urine hath ripened
somewhat of the Copper into Gold, which the Vinegar or Water of Tartar
did not dissolve but left, attracting onely the Copper by solution. And
because somewhat of Silver is ripened in the Copper through this same
operation, and is dissolved with the Copper, by the Vinegar or Water of
Tartar, something of common Salt is to be added to the Water of Tartar
or Vinegar, that the Silver may not be solved by the same, but may
remain with the _Calx_ of Gold, and may be retained with the same.
_N. B._ Pure and clear Vinegar ought to be taken for this labour,
if you would preserve the colour unhurt, for after some part of the
Vinegar is evaporated away, the green colour of the Copper grows
together into fair green small stones, one pound whereof is more to be
esteemed than five or six pounds of Verdi grease, which is sold in the
Shops.
This artificial operation therefore affords a beautifull and
christalline vitriol of _Venus_, and some small quantity of Gold and
Silver; whereof although there be not so great plenty that it may bring
profit, yet it shews the possibility of the thing, and teacheth that a
transmutation of Metals, may be exercised in any small Cottage by any
Countrey Man.
But if any one shall collect Urine, and extract from thence the
volatile spirit of its Salt by Distillation, he shall far more deeply
pierce the heart of the Copper, and shall obtain more of Gold and
Silver than he can get by the but now mentioned rustical labour, of
which matter more things are found in other places of my Writings.