Iron ore attracts iron ore.
From various substances iron (like all the rest of the * metals) is
extracted: such substances being stones, earth, and similar concretions
which miners call veins because it is in veins[83], as it were, that they
are generated. We have spoken above of the variety of these veins. If a
properly coloured ore of iron and a rich one (as miners call it) is placed,
as soon as mined, upon water in a bowl or any small vessel (as we have
shown before in the case of a loadstone), it is attracted by a similar
piece of ore brought near by hand, yet not so powerfully and quickly as one
loadstone is drawn by another loadstone, but slowly and feebly. Ores of
iron that are stony, cindery, dusky, red, and several more of other
colours, do not attract one another mutually, nor are they attracted by the
loadstone itself, even by a strong one, no more than wood, or lead, silver,
or gold. Take those ores and burn, or rather roast them, in a moderate
fire, so that they are not suddenly split up, or fly asunder, keeping up
the fire ten or twelve hours, and gently increasing it, then let them grow
cold, skill being shown in the direction in which they are placed: These
ores thus prepared a loadstone will now draw, and they now show a mutual
sympathy, and when skilfully arranged run together by their own forces.
* * * * *
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