By these five methods quicksilver may be made, and of these not one is
to be despised or repudiated ; nevertheless, if the mine supplies a great
abundance of ore, the first is the most expeditious and practical, because a
large quantity of ore can be reduced at the same time without great expense.58
68Historical Note on the Metallurgy of Quicksilver. The earliest mention of
quicksilver appears to have been by Aristotle (Meteorologica IV, 8, il), who speaks of it
as fluid silver (argyros chytos). Theophrastus (105) states : " Such is the production of
" quicksilver, which has its uses. This is obtained from cinnabar rubbed with vinegar in a
" brass mortar with a brass pestle." (Hill's Trans., p. 139). Theophrastus also (103)
mentions cinnabar from Spain and elsewhere. Dioscorides (v, 70) appears to be the first to
describe the recovery of quicksilver by distillation : " Quicksilver (hydrargyros, i.e., liquid
silver) is made from ammion, which is called cinnabari. An iron bowl containing cinnabari
" is put into an earthen vessel and covered over with a cup-shaped lid smeared with clay.
" Then it is set on a fire of coals and the soot which sticks to the cover when wiped off and
" cooled is quicksilver. Quicksilver is also found in drops falling from the walls of the silver
" mines. Some say there are quicksilver mines. It can be kept only in vessels of glass, lead,
" tin (?), or silver, for if put in vessels of any other substances it consumes them and flows
