Now by this Art Quicksilver is much sooner separated from all manner of metalls, then by Distillation, &c.
By this processe with Mercury all metalls may after calcination, and powdering be by a skilfull, and industrious Alchymist extracted, and separated one from the other.
In the same manner, and that easily, may Tinne, and Lead bee separated from Copper, or Copper vessels, from Iron, and Steel overlaid with Tin without any fire, or water, by the Amalgama of Quicksilver alone.
Also Beaten Gold, or Leafe Gold, or Silver, as also any other metall beaten, or ground, being written, or laid over with a pencill, or quill upon cloth, parchment, paper, leather, wood, stones, or any thing else, may bee resolved by Quicksilver, and so, that the Quicksilver may bee afterward separated again from those metalls.
By Corrosive waters.
Now the separation of metalls in Aqua fortis, Aqua Regis, and like corrosive waters, is after this manner.
Let a metall that is mixed, and joined with another, be taken, and beaten into thin plates, or brought into powder. Put it into a separating vessel, and poure upon it common Aqua fortis as much as is sufficient, let them stand and bee macerated, until all the metall bee resolved into a clear water. If it be Silver, and contain any Gold in it, all the Silver wil bee resolved into water, and the Gold wil also bee calcined, and settle in the bottome like black sand. And after this manner Gold, and Silver are separated. If now thou wilt separate the Silver from the Aqua fortis without Distillation, put a plate of Copper into the water, and the Silver will presently settle in the bottome of the water like snow, and the Copper plate will begin to be consumed by little, and little.
The seperation of Silver, and Copper by common Aqua fortis is done after this manner. Let the Copper which contains Silver, or the Silver which contains Copper be brought to thin plates or powder, and put into a glass vessel, upon which poure as much common Aqua fortis as is sufficient: and by this means the silver will bee calcined, and settle to the bottome like white chalk: but the copper wil be dissolved, and turned into a clear water. If this water, together with the dissolved copper, be by a Glasse funnel separated from the silver calx into another Glasse: then the Copper that is dissolved in the water, may bee so precipitated with common water, or rain water, or any other water, that it wil settle to the bottom of the Glass like sand.
Now the separation of hid Gold, from any metall, is by the degree of Extraction in Aqua Regis. For this kind of water will attempt to dissolve no metall, but only pure, fine Gold, &c.