I have taught in the first part of this Book, by what way the Vegetables, as Wine, and Ale, are to be concentrated, whereby they may yield more profit than hitherto they have done, and also, how Wood is to be reduced into Salt-petre. In this present Second part, shall be taught, how the Salt-petre is to be used, and how, by it Minerals may be Concentrated, and wrought into Metalick Bodies. And as to this Concentration, thus stands the case; that is to say, forasmuch as a good part of Minerals are of very little use, and lie neglected as things of no worth, and prove not profitable to any one, (whereas if there were Men that understood but the Art of it, there might redound a great benefit to the Lands where they are). It hath seemed to me worth while to declare it to my Country, nor doubt I but that there will arise some diligent ingenuities, who will lay the thing to heart, and take care thereabouts, and will even set their hands to the work it self, and thence get much profit; which to me would be very pleasing and acceptable. Therefore (in the Name of God) will I set about the manifestation of the Gifts of God (which lie every where unknown, and wholly disesteemed, and which yield no Man any fruit) and lay them open before the Eyes of the whole World, that so they may be better known hereafter, and be of more benefit to the Country. And I beseech the most Wealthy, and the most Ancient Housholder, our most merciful Father, to bestow a Blessing, and good success on this my endeavour, that it may tend to the Honour of his most Holy Name, and the health of all our Souls. Amen.
Of the difference of Minerals, and what is understood by the Name of Minerals.
As concerning the word Mineral, why all Fossile and Metalick Mines are so called afore they have been wrought upon, and brought by the fire into Malleable Metals, I judge it but of small moment to make any tedious Comment thereupon; besides, others have long ago thoroughly treated of that, and yet it makes but little to the thing it self. But my purpose is (at present) to teach, what means such little esteemed Minerals may be made useful, and profitable by; but afore I begin this work, I will recite, and shew the many sorts of Minerals that there be; then next that, I will shew how, by the benefit of fire, and the hands of the Artificer, they may be converted into better bodies, and become useful, and profitable for Mankind.
Under the Name of Minerals are comprehended, or reckoned these following, viz. Antimony, Auripigment, White, Yellow, and Red Arsenick, Cobolt, Lapis Calaminaris, Zink, Bismute, or the Silvery Marchasite, likewise the Golden Marchasite, Pyrites, or Copperas stones, Vitriol of various kinds; as also, its kindred, may be added to the number of Minerals. And albeit, that some do also referr Alume, Salt-petre, Sal Armoniack, Sal Gem, and others of that kind to the rank of Minerals, yet cannot I acknowledge them for such, or reckon them up amongst the number of the above mentioned, seeing there is nothing Metalline to be found in them: Such only therefore do I call Minerals, that have in them a Metalline nature, and which do admit of being joined with other Metals, and of being molten together with them in the fire, and out of which the known Malleable Metals, may be extracted. These are they which I intend to treat of, and will see, what good is thencefrom extractable.
And first of all we’ll speak of Antimony.
Antimony is the noblest Mineral of all, not only because it doth for the most part contain Gold in it, but upon this account too, because more eminent Medicines may be thencefrom prepared for the use of Mankind. In the Mine-pits it has its peculiar Veins; that which is found in Transilvania, hath some little bigger portion of Gold in it, and is accompted of as the best in all Europe, next that is the Hungarian ♁, which likewise doth sometimes contain no contemptible portion of Gold; next is the Fechtenbergick, which is found at a small Town call’d, in the German Tongue, Gold-Gronack; the Polonian sort, and that which is found in most places of Germany, contains but little Gold, or none at all; but there is some which has much Silver in it, and (for the most part) is neither wont to be used, nor desired, or sought for, save by the Letter Founders, and these use it to make their Matters flow. Also many do use it (viz. ♁) in Medicine, and do much good therewith, but it hath certain Enemies who are none of the wisest, and so is hated, and rejected. But yet there lies in it more hidden good, than all its Enemies are able to conceive of, witness my Panacea, which is mentioned in the second part of my Pharmacopœia Spagyrica.
And Basil Valentine, certainly an excellent Philosopher, writ the Triumphant Chariot in its Honour, which is an exquisite Book and profitable to read.
But as concerning the way of making a Regulus out of Antimony, and as to the uses it serves for, that I have described in the fourth part of my Furnaces. Moreover, as to the manner of depurating Gold thereby, and cleansing it from all Heterogeneous mixtures, and as to the graduating of silver, thereby, that it may become Golden, all this have I spoken of in the Explication of my Miraculum Mundi; and as to what other effects may profitably be done, therewith in Metalick Operations, shall be shown, partly in this Treatise, partly in the third and fourth ensuing parts. As concerning the way of separating it in quantity out of the Ore, per descensum, is to be seen in George Agricola’s Book, that he wrote of the Metalick Art, and in others; nor indeed belongs it to this place to speak thereof.