CUPEL Cu"pel (k"pl), n. Etym: [LL. cupella cup (cf. L. cupella, small cask, dim. of cupa) : cf. F. coupelle. See Cup, and cf. Coblet.]
Defn: A shallow porus cup, used in refining precious metals, commonly made of bone ashes (phosphate of lime). [Written also coppel.] Cupel dust, powder used in purifying metals.
CUPEL Cu*pel" (k-pl"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cupelled (-pld"); p. pr. & vb. n. Cupelling.]
Defn: To refine by means of a cupel.
CUPELLATION
Cu`pel*la"tion (k`pl-l"shn), n. Etym: [See Cupel.]
Defn: The act or process of refining gold or silver, etc., in a cupel.
Note: The process consist in exposing the cupel containing the metal to be assayed or refined to a hot blast, by which the lead, copper, tin, etc., are oxidized, dissolved, and carried down into the porous cupel, leaving the unoxidizable precious metal. If lead is not already present in the alloy it must be added before cupellation.
CUPFUL
Cup"ful (kp"fl), n.; pl. Cupfuls (-f.
Defn: As much as a cup will hold.
CUP-GALL
Cup"-gall` (-gl`), n.