The Prosperity of Germany, Part Two

continues from previous page: is less volatile and less poisonous, from which, by a small flame of wood, it is easily driven from its vein; those who smelt tin use it to make the tin harder, more resonant, and fluid. From the dross or waste, blue Schmalta smalt/cobalt glass is made, from which potters also prepare their glazes suitable for coating pots, and glassmakers prepare their blue glass. It often abounds with much silver, and one rarely finds any that is entirely devoid of silver. If it contains so much silver that the value of this exceeds the value of the bismuth, they take pains to separate it; if less, they sell it mixed as it is. For if one hundred pounds do not yield 20 or 30 lotones a measure of weight, approximately 15-20 grams of silver, as they call them, they consider it not worth the effort to perform any separation, since they can sell the marcasite at the same price. But silver can be separated from bismuth with the aid of nitre, so that it remains pure without any loss of its quality and can be sold, as I have taught in the Explanation of the Miracle of the World original: "Miraculi Mundi Explicatione".

Concerning Golden Marcasite, or Pyrite of Golden Color.

The name Marcasite pyrite/ore suits any Pyrite metallic ore/stone that strikes fire or metallic vein, no matter which metal it is pregnant with; if it holds gold, it is called Pyrite of golden color or golden marcasite; if silver, Pyrite of silver color or silver marcasite; if copper, Pyrite of copper color or copper marcasite; if iron, Pyrite of iron color or iron marcasite; if sulfur, Pyrite of sulfur color or sulfur marcasite. Every Pyrite, however, is a receptacle for sulfur, and sometimes of arsenic, especially golden marcasite. Each one also produces Vitriol sulfate of a metal of a kind corresponding to the metal it contained, which, answering to the nature of the metal, will be rich in either copper or iron. Rarely does a pyrite or marcasite present itself that would be found entirely devoid of some metal. If it lacks gold, silver, or copper, it will not be destitute of iron at the very least, to be used copiously by dyers and employed for preparing Aquas fortes strong waters/nitric acid.