Sylvia Rose
Natural Iron Oxide Pigments: Extraction, Types & Colors
Iron oxides create beautiful pigments in colors from warm yellow and orange to deep reds, brown, black and even green. Besides industry...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 299 min read
Seven Precious Stones of the Ancient World
Precious stones are made by economic supply and demand. First, however, they're formed by fire and pressure for millions of years. Prized...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 283 min read
Litharge: Toxic Lead Mineral of Science & Art
Litharge (PbO) is a lead oxide mineral with an alpha and beta structure. It's among the most prominent of the lead oxides known due to...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 263 min read
Arcanum Duplicatum: Double Secret of Alchemy
Arcanum Duplicatum is known by many names: sulphate of potash, arcanite, potash of sulfur, potassium sulfate. An inorganic compound, it...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 253 min read
Oil of Philosophers: Alchemy Health & Beauty
Oil of Brick is known as Oil of Philosophers by alchemists and Oleum de Lateribus (Oil on the Sides) by apothecaries. This medicinal and...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 233 min read
What is Alum? Origins, Production & Use
Alum has a multi-toned nature. Alum denotes a group of chemical compounds characterized by double sulfate salts. Alums are used across...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 234 min read
Aluminum(III) Oxide: Secrets of Precious Gemstones
Aluminum oxide or alumina (Al2O3) is the secret to the composition and allure of precious gems such as sapphire and ruby. This white,...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 234 min read
Corundum: Secrets of Valuable Gemstones
Corundum is a mineral composed of aluminum oxide. Living deep within the Earth in an environment of intense heat and pressure, the...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 234 min read
Making Sapphire & other Precious Gemstones
Synthetic sapphires and lab-grown gemstones mimic the brilliance and allure of natural gems while often surpassing them in quality and...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 236 min read
Sapphire Gemstones: Colors, Myths, Origins & Gemology
Exquisite gems, sapphires are beautiful stones known for stunning colors and unique properties. Greeks wear sapphire for guidance when...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 204 min read
Earth of Chios: Ancient Alchemy, Cosmetics, & Medicine
Earth of Chios is a white to gray powdery mineral soil or fine grained clay found on the Greek island of Chios. Earth of Chios or Chian...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 185 min read
5 Waters of Ancient Alchemy: Aqua Caustic
The Waters of Alchemy are ravenous acids, miraculous solvents and corrosive fluids vital to alchemical process. Not for children ....
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 175 min read
Alchemical Salt: Essential Salts of Alchemy
Salts are ubiquitous in nature and play critical roles in sciences from biology to medicine. In alchemy, salts are standard ingredients....
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 134 min read
Zinc (Zn): Essential Metal in Alchemy & Medicine
Zinc (Zn) is an essential metal of life and one of the four components in the Tetrasomia of Maria in alchemy. The 30th element on the...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 86 min read
Almadén Mines: Ancient Mercury Extraction
The Almadén Mines in central Spain have an infamous past driven by profit and greed. The deadly history of ancient Almadén revolves...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 63 min read
Ancient Traders & Buyers: Art of Testing Metals
Testing metals is a precise and varied process in the ancient world. It's a crucial skill in ensuring fair trade and preventing fraud....
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 66 min read
Metal & Gemstone Dyeing in Alchemy
In alchemy, science and mysticism intertwine. Among the practical alchemical skills is dyeing of metals and gems. Alchemists from early...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 24 min read
Alchemy: Philosophers' Stone History & Lore
The Philosophers' Stone or lapis philosophorum is a miraculous legendary substance. It holds secrets to an elixir of life, a cure for...
51 views
Sylvia Rose
Sep 15 min read
How to Make Iron Oxide Pigment at Home
Make non-toxic iron oxide pigments for painting, dyes, glazes, artistic to industrial uses. Iron oxide (Fe2O3) or rust exists on Earth...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 293 min read
How to Make Hematite Pigment: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hematite, an iron ore with the chemical formula Fe2O3 (ferric oxide), is known for its metallic luster. In earthy form the stone offers a...
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