Musaeum metallicum

nature's temperament as a necessary affection of matter, from the variety of whose perfection and form various species of metals arise. Regarding the efficient cause, some incorrectly believe that metals, like living creatures and plants, are generated from a similar species. Others have spread the idea that the efficient cause is sulphur sulfur, by which all metallic matter is cooked; for this reason, all metals, when they are burned, smell of sulfur, although they actually emit a sulfurous odor due to their dry and earthy breath halitus. It will be better, together with Averroes Ibn Rushd, to seek no other efficient cause than the elements and celestial bodies; although later, a more proximate and proper cause is quality, which immediately alters and completes the generation of metals. Finally, the final cause must be considered, which in this place is said to be twofold: one of generation, the other of the generated thing itself.
Book 4, Meteor., end of Proem.

The final cause of metals.

The end of generation is the form of metals, by whose presence the metal is commended as both generated and endowed with its own nature; but the end of the generated metal will be the perfection of the World. For the World is the fullness of species, as Plato asserted in the Timaeus, in addition to the fact that metals bring various uses and countless benefits to humans, of which we shall speak in their proper place.

B Once the natural generation of metals has been examined, something must also be established regarding artificial generation. For many, among whom Albertus Magnus holds the first place, do not dissent that metals can be generated artificially; initially, relying on the authority of Aristotle, who sometimes committed to writing that art either imitates nature or perfects it; and therefore they freely asserted that since extreme things can be procreated by art, intermediate things could likewise come into being in the same way. For by art, elements are produced, such as fire from wood, oil, and the like; even though elements are said to be more common than metals. Similarly, by art, living creatures, namely bees and wasps, result from the carcasses of bulls and horses, which are animals we pronounce to be superior to metals; therefore, according to their opinion, intermediate things, namely metals, will also be generated by art.
Book 2, Physics, Tex. 79.

Artificial generation of metals.

It was necessary for the supporters of this opinion to observe that art is a habit of the mind and a quality, and thus an accident is never able to produce a substance with its total powers. And when we observe that a plant, lime, and similar things are produced by some artifice, it must be noted that this is done by art insofar as it serves nature, which, having known the causes of physical things, aptly accommodates agents to patients. The artist, in order to perform this, must exactly know the natural powers of the agents and patients and have suitable methods for constituting the temperament of the thing so that the form may be drawn out from it. Finally, it is necessary that the principles necessary to accomplish the thing be freely available in the hands of the artist, and with one of these missing, nothing at all will result from art. Having posited these things, it must be said more confidently that art can neither generate metals as a principal part nor as an instrument of nature; for if it is considered as the primary cause, no art can produce a substance, as was explained above; nor even insofar as it is an instrument of nature, since none of the enumerated conditions will fit it, if indeed there is only a confused knowledge of the beginning of metals, and the methods and properties by which this or that metal comes to light are unknown.
Book 1, chap. 1, Comm. on Gen. of Animals.

Wherefore Averroes, having diligently considered all these things, rightly scorned this art, because it is only able to purge metals, and not at all to create new ones.

D Regarding the part of metals, they assert that they are generated by art because they arise from the first composition of the elements, and just as according to the mind of Aristotle, elements having a symbol i.e., a shared quality among themselves are easily transmuted into one another.
Book 2, On Generation and Corruption.

Similarly, since metals are endowed with a nearly similar nature, these also will be easily permuted. They also add that this can happen because that which is suitable for cooking, and is not perfectly cooked, and is likewise impure, as are many metals, can not only be cooked but also purged by the ministry of art. We find these reasons to be of no value, since metals are distinguished by qualities that change little and are devoid of a soul; hence they can neither alter each other nor generate something similar to themselves; therefore the artist, neither through the mutual connection of these nor through the coupling of their seed with a certain matter, will be able to produce metals in the way that elements generate plants and animals. They argue that metals can arise by the benefit of art from things conducive to the generation of metals, for if natural metals come to light with the help of heat in a tempered manner, they thus want the artist to temper heat with cold at will. But it must be—