The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

The whole art therefore consisteth in this, that metals are overwhelmed by their greatest enemies, are slain by them, and after death are separated from them, and that by their best friends, are restored unto a better life.

Thou hast the whole art, neither doth any other thing remain than that thou attempt the matter, and set to thine hand.

For example sake, I will add an operation. Slay a light metallick matter by the sharp Spirits of sulphurious Salts, that it may become a white calx; free this from the Salt Spirits, by water being poured thereon, the which being freed, cannot be reduced into a metallick body by any violence of fire. Likewise slay mercurial metals as are B. by mercurial, Salts their enemies, and change them into white calx’s, the which being freed from their saltness, will be liquid or flowable; mix those calx’s, to wit, the mercurial and sulphurious being slain, put them into a double vessel of cement, cover the uppermost with a certain plenty of B. fence well the juncture of the cementing vessel with clay, set them into a cementing furnace, and at the beginning administer a gentle fire, that the calx’s may rise up against or assault each other, and the fixed sulphur may bind the fugitive flowable and mercurial calx’s, D. for although in the cement something would depart into smoak, yet that is intercepted by E. and after a certain manner is thus exalted into the degree of F. Too much fire is not presently to be joyned to the cement or plaistering it self, that some time may be granted to the matter that is swift of flight, whereby it may adjoyn it self unto the fixed matter, and may also become fixed and constant with the same for four hours space, therefore the fire shall be somewhat the more slack, and afterwards for the space of eight or ten hours, it shall be kept in a clear bright burning heat, that G. may not melt: the said time being ended, the fire is to be extinguished, and the cementing vessel to be taken away, in G. a black or brittle body shall be found containing Silver, the easy separation whereof we shall afterwards hear.

The calx of both metals being coagulated into a hard stone, if by grinding it be reduced into powder, and be put into a furnace fit for this thing, a metallick body will be attained, being impregnated, not with a little Gold and Silver, especially if the metals shall be slain, not by the Spirits of common Salts, but with gradatory martial waters. In this cement, H. is rendred aureal or golden, and I. is silvery, by one and the same endeavour. The profit also it self is of no small moment, especially if this operation be exercised with the greater quantity, and the bigger instruments alwaies to supply or afford Silver being pregnant with Gold for separation.

XXXI. A brief and compendious manner of extracting and rendring corporeal, a volatile Gold out of coloured Flints, Red Talck, Granates or Red Marble Stones, Sand, White Clay and the like metallick earths.

At the beginning, these mineral or metallick earths are to be made bright burning hot, to be quenched in cold water, and to be broken in a mill, into meal or powder.

After that they are thus broken, thou shalt put them into some Waldenburge, or Cullein Can, and shalt pour so much of Aq; Regis on them, that they may onely be moistened, and let them, together with the Can, be placed in a fire of coals, and incompassed therewith, to be made hot; after that the minerals and Aq; Regis have waxed well hot together, so much hot water is to be poured on those very minerals as shall be necessary for the extracting of the Aq; Regis.

Put the minerals thus moistened with the water into great pots, and those made of the best earth, having many little holes in the bottom, on which lay paper for sustaining of the minerals that they may not fall out through the holes, but may dismiss the water onely. After the first water is gone forth, other hot water is again to be poured on, and this effusion of water is so long to be continued, untill it depart with the very same sweetness as when it was poured on, and no longer offers any sharpness to the tast. So the common and hot water brings away with it the Aq. Regis, and the Aq. Regis Gold out of the minerals.

The earthen pots may be placed in a bench bored thorough with holes, through which their bottoms may pass, that so the water may be received in vessels set under them.

N. B. The minerals may also be put into barrels or hogsheads having a double bottom, such as are used for the cleansing of Salt-Peter, that so water may be so long poured on them, untill all the acrimony be extracted by the water.