Iron is abundant in Earth's crust and one of the seven metals of antiquity . Essential for life, iron can form various oxides and change...

Make non-toxic iron oxide pigments for painting, dyes, glazes, artistic to industrial uses. Iron oxide (Fe2O3) or rust exists on Earth...

Dyers, coloring professionals, metal workers and gemologists seek vibrant colors and tones since early civilization. The first use of...

The practice of naming planets comes from the work of the Babylonians. The concept passes into the Greek, and from there, Romans begin...

The ancient Greeks are celebrated for their contributions to various fields such as philosophy, mathematics, and medicine. Among their...

Hematite, an iron oxide mineral, is well-known for its striking metallic luster and deep red to black colorations. Appearing in various...

"Hematite" comes from the ancient Greek for blood. The stone makes red dust when cut and polished. The red color isn't always visible at...

Hematite, an iron oxide mineral with the chemical formula Fe2O3, is prevalent around the world. Known for metallic luster and red earth...

Hematite, an iron ore with the chemical formula Fe2O3 (ferric oxide), is known for its metallic luster. In earthy form the stone offers a...

Aqua regia, Latin for “royal water,” is a powerful acidic solution known to dissolve noble metals like gold and platinum. It's used in...

Alchemy, a fusion of science, philosophy and mysticism, emerges in practice from the 1st century AD. Among the power civilizations of...

Caput mortuum, Latin for as "dead head" is an ominous name for a valued color. As an iron oxide it's easy to make at home. As a purple...

Although alchemy is often associated with gold-making, another essential skill of the alchemist is to color or dye stones like quartz...

Myrtle, Rose, Scammory and Flowers of Brass are four infused wines used medicinally in the ancient world. Infused wine in medicine often...

Tellurium is the Latin word for earth. A brittle, non-malleable silvery white metalloid, tellurium (Te) is a rare element having both...

Alchemy has a lifelong relationship with the magic of metals and their multiple manifestations. Metal workers and later blacksmiths...

In Eastern and Western alchemy, the transformation of metals into gold (Au) symbolizes a process of maturation for metal and alchemist....

In alchemy an essential piece of equipment is the hearth or forge. Smelting metal applies heat and a reducing agent to separate one or...

Astrology prospers in the East after the 476 AD fall of the Roman Empire. Indian, Persian, and Islamic writers prolifically translate...

Lapis lazuli or "blue stone" is prized for its depth and brilliance in paint as the color ultramarine. Before the 1800s, ultramarine...