Point IV.
All Gold and Silver not purely melted from its Marcasite, may be swiftly purged from every Additament, the silver separated from the Gold, by fusion only, with a small labour and cost, but in great weight.
This way of purifying ☉ and ☽ from all addition quickly, and in an easie manner, is a thing most profitable, and an Art highly necessary to be known by those who handle metals; for it is sooner done, than by the way of cupellating or blowing off with Lead, but is dearer, by reason of the Nitre; nevertheless, the labour is easie and pleasant, and it is done in this manner: Let a Crucible of impure gold or silver be placed in such a Furnace as is described and depicted in the Fourth Part of our Furnaces, let it be melted, then cast in some Regulus of Antimony, more or less, according to the greater or lesser impurity of the Gold, and according as it hath more or less need of cleansing for its purification. When all shall flow and be clear in the Crucible, cast into the Crucible upon the metal, at several times, about so much Nitre, as there is of addition to the Gold; let it flow, then the Nitre attracteth the Regulus of Antimony, together with the impurity contained in the Gold, which passeth into Scoria. And this Process doth not serve only for impure Sol and Luna, but also for such Sol and Luna which contain Copper, Iron, Lead, Tin, Chalcitis, Aurichalcum, and other metallick and mineral matters, Tin especially, which is difficult to be separated from Sol and Luna by Lead, without loss. But in this manner it may be quickly and easily done. But that my meaning may be the more rightly understood and the less errour be committed in working, I will here institute the Process clearly, and in express words. Suppose to ℔ j. of gold or silver, there be two lothones of Copper, and three lothones of Tin (a lothone is half an ounce) which I would separate, and if it be done by the known way of blowing off with Lead, there will need at the least thirty or forty lothones of Lead, and nevertheless one part of the Sol or Luna will be lost; but by my way to two lothones of Copper, and three lothones of Tin, adjoin five lothones of Regulus of Antimony, then abstract the Regulus, together with the addition of Copper and Tin, by the mediation of Nitre, which may be done in the Crucible in the space of one hour, which by torrefaction and agitation in the common way, could scarcely have been done in 10 or 12 hours; besides nothing of the Additaments is lost, all remaineth in the Scoria, from which, afterwards, as well the ♃ as the ♀ and Regulus of Antimony may be recovered, to wit, if the Scoria, in which the ♃, ♀, and Regulus of Antimony is, be put into a Crucible, a live Coal cast in, and then the Crucible covered with a tyle, let them flow a quarter of an hour, pour all out, and you shall find in the bottom of the Cone a little Regulus, in which will be the remaining Sol or Luna, which the Scoria did prey upon; let them be depurated on a Cupel, if they be not already pure enough: The Scoria being again melted, cast in a live Coal, suffer all to flow well together, again there will fall another Regulus from the Copper, the ♃ & ♂ remaineth, and neither by Coals nor any other art, can be brought into Regulus; but if these Scoria be driven through a probatory Furnace, then they also yield the Tin again, and that better than it was before. This Process is not only pleasant, artificial, swift and easie, by which gold and silver is quickly and purely separated from all addition, but there is also hidden in it a great mystery: But because I have only proposed to prove those things to be true and natural, of which I have made mention in my Miraculum Mundi, let what I have now said suffice, and what is here desir’d may be found perspicuously and satisfactorily declared in the following Processes.
Point V.
Gold and Silver are easily drawn out of Old Tin or Pewter Vessels, the Tin being preserved almost in the same weight, and being made better than it was before, may serve for the same uses to which it is wont to be put.
This Process also is very well performed by the mediation of Nitre, viz. in this manner. Let the Tin, in which is ☉ or ☽, be reduced into Ashes, even as Lead is wont to be prepared, for the working of Minerals; and let there be mixed with it as much powder of Nitre, let the mixture be put in a strong Pot which will endure the fire, upon which put subliming Pots, let the mixture be kindled in the lower Pot (which is under the Subliming Pots, and must have a little hole in the side for that purpose) with an Iron Rod, red hot, then the Mass beginneth to burn, and sendeth many Flowers into the Subliming Pots, the Tin and Salt-peter remaining in the Pot, take out, and melt in a Crucible, if there be much Lead, then that falleth together with the ☉ and ☽, to the bottom of the Crucible, but the Tin with the Nitre passeth into Scoria, which if the melted Mass be poured out into a Cone, they are Separated from the Regulus of Lead, and after cooling maybe taken out, which Regulus of Lead, by the addition of other Lead, may again be wrought, and in a strong Crucible be reduced into Scoria with Nitre; then there will remain a little Regulus of Lead, which containeth the ☉ and ☽, which was in the ♃. The first and last Scoria may be reduced by a strong blast in a Probatory Furnace, then the Tin will be again obtained, better, harder, and whiter than it was before; the reason is, because the Nitre hath consumed part of the combustible Sulphur, and also separated the Lead. Although this Process is not done with any great profit, yet nevertheless it shews the possibility; but he that knoweth how to handle the matter, will suffer no loss, for those sublimed Flowers are of greater worth than Salt-peter and Tin, because they may be prepared into a good Medicine; they are also very available in those curious red Colours for Cloth [Scarlet, or Bowdy] exalting them in a wonderful manner, and firmly abiding in the Cloth, shining, and giving it a fiery ground.
Point VI.
Much Silver may be separated from Bismuth, the Bismuth preserved, a Secret agreeing to those places which abound with that Mineral.
This Secret is not of so little weight as perhaps it will seem to some; for no Man even to this day hath proved this in the matter it self and with effect, yet seeing that it may easily be done, viz. in this manner, melt Chalcitis in a Crucible, and cast upon it successively so much Nitre, until all the Chalcitis shall pass into Scoria, or green Glass, pour out the Mass into a Cone, then the Silver will settle to the bottom in form of a Regulus, which was contained in the Chalcitis, then put the Scoria of the Chalcitis into a Crucible and melt them well for the space of an hour, so all the Chalcites will be revived, rendred Corporeal, and a little will be lost. He therefore that can make the Salt-peter himself, and needs not to buy it at a dear rate, will hence reap great profit, otherwise not; however it proveth that the Salt of the Earth can perform what is here attributed to it.