From old Copper much Silver is separated, the Copper preserved unhurt, by which Artifice Regions abounding with this Metal, may reap no small profit.
That this extraction of Silver from Copper by means of the Salt of the Earth, may be verified, you are to proceed in this manner: Mix with the Copper its own weight of Regulus of Antimony, then melt both together, upon which cast so much Salt-Nitre successively or at times, until it turn the Copper together with the Regulus of Antimony into green Scoria, then make the fire stronger, and cause these Scoria to flow like water, and luit a Regulus, which although it be not sufficiently pure, it may be depurated upon a Cupel with a little Lead, and it yieldeth the Silver which the Copper contained. NB. This process is most true, and will never deceive any Man, but I do not say that he shall obtain Riches by this means, but only prove to be true, what I have ascribed to it in my Miraculum Mundi. NB. But he that knoweth how to fix the Scoria, that is the Copper and Regulus of Antimony with Salt, and to melt them into Artificial Stones, or Enamel, so that nothing be lost, he shall be sure not to undergo the Labour in vain; otherwise he may cast in a live Coal upon the Scoria, from which the Silver is separated, when they are in Flux, and let them flow half an hour, then it leaveth the Regulus of Antimony together with the Copper, which the Nitre hath reduced into Scoria, and afterwards another Regulus, to be applied to use, which if all things be well handled, from both, viz. from the Regulus of Antimony and Copper, (after their Edulcoration) a green colour for Painting may be extracted, and so the Labours will be compensated, and the gain will be so much the greater.
Point VIII.
Every common Silver may in the space of a few hours be exalted into the nature of Gold.
This Gradation of Silver is performed by the help of a certain Mineral Sulphur, to wit, of ♂ and Antimony, in this manner. Adjoin to ☽ as much Regulus Martis, and again let it be separated from it by Nitre, which labour is performed in the space of an hour, to the remaining Silver adjoin again as much Regulus, which is again to be abstracted; and let this labour be reiterated five, six, eight, or ten times, which may be done in one day, afterwards let the ☽ be dissolved in Aqua-fortis, then the Gold, which the Nitre by the help of the ☽ hath obtained from the Regulus, will remain in the bottom, which is to be edulcorated, and corporify’d with Borax, the Gold will be good in an excellent degree, but the value thereof is scarce enough to pay for the Regulus, and Nitre. But he that knoweth how to make his own Nitre, or can obtain it without price, may reap a considerable profit: Especially if he know how to transferr the detracted Scoria into further use, which is not here sought, but is only proved that ☽ may be exalted into ☉ by the help of Regulus Antimonij Martialis.
Point IX.
Gold may be separated by fusion from every addition of Copper, Tin, Iron, Lead, Orpiment, Antimony, Arsenick, or the like, without Cupels, each being kept apart.
This manner of separating of Metals, from one another, and of depurating ☉ without Cupels, is a most pleasing, fair, and profitable secret, by which in the separation of Metals, much time and expence is saved, and no detriment to be feared, which no man, even to this day could effect, my self excepted: You are to proceed in this manner. First, the mixt Metal, whether it consist of few or many, is to be granulated, the grains are to be conjoined with a fourth part of powdered Sulphur, somewhat moistened, and to be set on fire in a Crucible luted according to art, which being done, the cover of the Crucible is to be taken off, and the enkindled Metal to be covered with the fourth part of its weight of Antimony. NB. That if there be much ♂pper], or ♃ in the mixture, then the more Antimony is to be adjoined, that it may draw to it self the imperfect Metals. Therefore when the Mass flows with the Antimony, inject a little well purified Nitre, dried and pulverized, and when it flows well, the Mass is to be poured out into a Cone, and the Regulus, if there be any, to be shaken out, which will contain the greatest part of the ☉ which was in that Mass. NB. If there shall be no Regulus, that is a sign that there was not Nitre enough to suffice the crudity, which is to be remedied thus: Return the Mass into the Crucible, and permit it to flow, which being done, throw in as much filings of Iron, as you judge there is Gold in the Mass, and mix it with the Mass with a red hot Iron, cover the Crucible, and give a melting fire for a quarter of an hour, pour it into a Cone, when it is cold separate the Regulus from the Scoria, which will be about the same weight with the filings of Iron, which you used in the precipitation, purifie the Regulus in a small new Crucible, by the injection of Nitre, if it yieldeth Gold without Silver, then it is a sign there is Gold yet in the Mass, therefore it is necessary to flux the Mass again, and precipitate with Iron, if the Regulus be yet golden, then it is to be depurated apart by Nitre, and to be kept; but if it hath more ☽ than ☉, it is a sign that all the Gold is precipitated, afterwards suffer the Mass to flow again, and inject as much filings of Iron, stirring them well with the Mass, with a red hot iron, permit them to flow well together, then it rendereth as much Regulus of Silver, as there was Iron put in, afterwards also the ♀ will be precipitated, and last of all, the Scoria are again to be fluxed well being mixed with Nitre, that it may appear whether there be yet any Metal in them. The Regulus of ☽ is also depurated in the same manner as the Regulus of ☉: Venus, ♃, and other Additaments, are melted by Bellows, so that nothing is lost. This separation of ☉ and ☽ from the viler Metals, by melting, hath been long sought by many, but found by few. Lazarus Erker, in his Writings hath taught by what means ☉ may be separated from ☽ by fusion, but that separation is unlike to this which I have mentioned, because here it is not only shewed how ☉ may be separated from ☽, but also from other Metals.
Point X.
Every imperfect Metal, without the mixture of other Metals, may be ripened by this Secret alone in the fire, in an hours space, so that it will yield Gold and Silver, but without profit; an indication that the viler Metals, may by Art be promoted into the Nature of the perfect, to the great profit of Metallurgists.