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Book VIII metals, precious such as gold, platinum, silver

Book VIII metals, precious such as gold, platinum, silver Page of 251 Book VIII metals, precious such as gold, platinum, silver Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
172
DE NATURA FOSSILIUM
with gold foil. The altar of St. Laurence in Noriberg has the roof of the tower made of brass and covered with foil. Some people spin gold into threads and embroiderers use these in a needle and work them into cloth that they decorate with a variety of colors. Metallic gold is used by chemists to prepare a liquid that they affirm will restore youth \vhen drunk.8
I shall now take up silver (argentum) which was unknown to the ancient writers as a native metal. One cannot tell from the writings of Albertus whether he knew it as a native metal or not. He writes, "It is found at Frei­berg, soft and similar to a tenacious porridge. This is the purest and finest grade of silver with little slag, having been refined by nature."' He says nothing about the color of this material. Silver is rarely found in metallic form at Freiberg and although masses and films of argentite do occur there is not enough of this mineral to assure that he refers to it. The latter is commonly soft and has little slag. However, I would not care to argue this point with anyone since much purer silver was obtained from these mines in former times than has ever been obtained since. The Freiberg veins have yielded a great abundance of lead ore rich in silver as well as some pyrite ore but the mines of Misena as well as those of Schneeberg, Annaberg, and Garium have all produced native silver. It occurs in Bo­hemia in the Joachim and Abertham valleys; sparingly on Mt. Melibocus, Lauterberg; also sparingly in a valley of the Jurassic Mountains of France that takes its name from the charm of Leberthal. In the latter locality, to date, all ore has come from two pits, one named St. Wilhelm, the other named for an oven. Of the many mines of Bohemia and Misena, two are the most important, one at Schneeberg, St. George, is the most famous silver mine that has ever been worked. Silver to the value of two million Rhine gold pieces has been taken from the mine. This is known from the memory of old people who discuss it and many of whom have made note of it. The most accurate figures come from those who kept the account books in which were recorded the quantities of silver smelted. Although the entire vein did not consist of pure silver probably the major part did. The other great mine is at Abertham and is named Laurence and Theodore. In recent years silver to the value of some one hundred and fifty thousand Rhine gold pieces has been taken from this mine, undoubtedly in the form of impure silver. It should be understood that these are unusual mines.10 There are many other mines at Schneeberg that have been very produc­tive, especially Sonnebirbel, St. Margaret, and St. Andreas. Large masses of silver have been found in some mines. One mass found in the St. George mine of Schneeberg was of such size that Prince Albert of Saxony, that valiant warrior, descended into the mine to have the pleasure of seeing it.
8 Gold bromide acts as a mild aphrodisiac when taken internally.
9 This is probably a reference to cerargyrite, native silver chloride.
10 These were native silver-cobalt ores similar to the rich ore mined in recent years at Cobalt, Ontario.
Book VIII metals, precious such as gold, platinum, silver Page of 251 Book VIII metals, precious such as gold, platinum, silver
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