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Book V about lodestone, hematite, geodes, hematite, selenite, lapis secularum, asbestos, mica
Page
of 251
Text size:
96
DE NATURA FOSSILIUM
A certain black stone is found with a uniform color similar to the stone from which tin is smelted but so light that one readily perceives that it is barren and contains no metal. We call this
spuma lupi.
17
When lodestone is mixed with copper it is changed so that it resembles silver and if
cadmia
(calamine) is mixed with it, it will resemble gold and is called
orichalcwn
(brass).
18
There are three varieties of
cadmia
two of which are obtained from mines. One of these contains no metal and we will speak of it now. The second one contains an abundance of metal. The former we refer to by the common name
fossilis
(native), the latter we call
metallica
(metallic). The third variety which forms in furnaces we call
cadmia fornacum.
Since the
cadmia
that forms on the iron rods in a furnace is in hollow masses it first took its name from the hollow reed
calamus.
Today it is only given to the natural mineral.
19
This stone is of a light yellow color, sometimes not very hard. Festus Pompeius writes that this is an earth. It gives off yellow fumes when burnt.
20
It is found in Lower Germany at a locality between Cologne and that important town which takes its name from waters; in Greater Germany in Westphalia near the town of Lemming and in the iron mines of Sauerland; in Raetia where it was first mined; and in Altenberg where it is mined. In our tongue the latter locality signifies an old mountain. But this is enough concerning those substances that are seen to have natural qualities which lie between those of an earth, a stone and a metal.
I shall take up now the remaining stones that form from marbles or rocks.
Lapis judaicus, trochites, dactylus idaeus
and related stones belong to this genus.
Lapis judaicus
is known by a number of names, this being due principally to the number of places where it occurs. Since it occurs in Judea from whence it is brought, even today, Dioscorides named it
judaicus.
Aetius Amidenus called it
syriacus
because Judea itself is in Palestine Syria.
21
Concerning its form some say it is similar to an acorn or palm nut while others say it resembles an olive pit. For that reason the former is called
phoenicites
and the latter
pyren.
22
Having been heated it has the power to liquify stones and because of this it has been called
tecolithos
by some. It is also called
eurrhoeus
because it removes gall-stones and permits easy urination. It usually occurs in the form of symmetrical acorns. Prominent lines run from the blunt to the pointed end and these are so regular they appear to have been made in a lathe and resemble the striae on a shell. The people \vho call this mineral
pyren
liken these lines to the bones of a fish that extend from the back down to the belly. If it
17
Froth of the wolf.
18
This term includes both brass and several alloys of similar composition.
19
Calamine was used for both zinc silicate (U.S.) and carbonate (England) until recently, and is still widely used for oxide zinc ores.
20
This is typical of hemimorphite which may occur in light yellow earthy masses and gives off yellow fumes when heated.
21
Lapis judaicus
is a fossil, probably a pentremites.
22
Probably from
φοινι,ζ,
an emblem of immortality and
τυρήν,
stone
of
a
fruit.
Page
of 251
Table Of Contents
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Agricola. Textbook of Mineralogy.
Front page, forword and index
To the illustrious duke of saxony and thuringia and misena prince of Maurice
Book I Minerals color, taste, odor , physical properties of gemstones and minerals such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires
Book II About different applications of earths (painting, medical) and their occurrences
Book III about halite and nitrium, alum and acrid juices and related minerals, sulphur, bitumen, realgar, and orpiment; the fourth, chrysocolla, aerugo, caeruleum, ferrugo
Book IV Sulphur, amber, Pliny's gems, jet, bitumen, naphtha, camphor, maltha, Samothracian gem, thracius stone, obsidianus stone
Book V about lodestone, hematite, geodes, hematite, selenite, lapis secularum, asbestos, mica
Book VI gems: diamond, emeralds, sapphire, topaz, chrysoberyl, carbuncle, jaspis
Book VII marbles, gems in rings and other applications
Book VIII metals, precious such as gold, platinum, silver
Book IX artificially coloring of metals such as gold, silver, copper
Book X lapis sabinicus, lapis selentinus, lapis liparaeus and other mixtures of stone, metal and earth
Latin Mineral Index
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