The Archidoxes and Medico-Chemical Works of Paracelsus

Different separations of different metals.

Although not all metals are reduced into oil in this way unless they have been prepared beforehand, for example: Mercury must be sublimated purified by dry vaporization, Saturn Lead calcined reduced to ash, Venus Copper glorified, iron crocified converted into red powder, Jupiter Tin reverberated subjected to reflected flame. Yet Sol Gold and Luna Silver yield themselves easily.

After the metals have been reduced to a liquid substance in this manner, and have prepared themselves for the disjunction of their elements (which can hardly be done in the metallic nature, for every thing must first be prepared for the use to which it is suited), afterwards add to one part of this oil two parts of fresh aqua fortis strong water/nitric acid, and shut them together in an excellent glass, and place it in horse dung for a month. Then, afterwards, distill it completely with a slow fire so that the matter coagulates at the bottom. And if the aqua fortis that ascends is distilled through a balneum water bath in this manner, you will find two elements together. But the same elements will not be left from all metals.

Let the elements of gold remain.

For from gold, earth and water remain in the bath, but air is in all the other three, and the element of fire remains at the bottom, because the substance and also the tangibility of gold has been coagulated from fire: therefore, the substance will agree in the substantial.

Which elements of silver.

From Luna Silver, the element of water will remain at the bottom, and the elements of earth and fire in the bath. For from the cold and the moist arises the substance and also the corporeality of Luna, which is indeed of a fixed nature, and which cannot be elevated.

Which elements of Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, etc.

From Mercury, fire remains at the bottom, and earth and water are elevated upward. From Venus, fire also remains, and both, namely earth and water, remain in the bath. From Saturn, the element of earth remains at the bottom; fire and water are held in the bath. From Jupiter, air remains at the bottom, and fire, water, and earth are elevated from it.

It is to be noted, therefore, that in Jupiter, air provides the body, and in no other metal whatsoever: even if some part of it also ascends, and remains inseparably mixed with the other three elements: that air is not corporeal, but adheres to and concurs with the others, and is inseparable from them.

Now it is to be noted that that emanation, that is, the corporeal element which remained at the bottom, must be reduced into oil with strong fresh water through the bath. And thus this element will be perfect, which you will keep for one part. You will separate the others through the bath in this way. You will place them in sand, and you will urge them lightly: at first indeed water will be elevated and exit, afterwards fire, which is recognized by its color, when those two remain over. But if the elements earth and water had remained, at first water will ascend upward, but afterwards earth. If, however, earth and fire were present, first earth, afterwards fire is elevated. But if water, fire, and earth were together, water will first ascend upward, after it fire, and lastly earth.