metals | Sylvia Rose Books

Silicon (Si) Metalloid: Prehistory into the Future

Sylvia Rose

Dec 1, 20246 min read

Silicon (Si) Metalloid: Prehistory into the Future

Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust, next to oxygen. A ductile metalloid, it's integral to industry and...

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Nickel (Ni): Metallurgy Facts & Folklore

Sylvia Rose

Nov 29, 20246 min read

Nickel (Ni): Metallurgy Facts & Folklore

Nickel (Ni), a silvery-white metal with a lustrous sheen, is a transition element essential to industry and commerce, and known in...

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Cobalt (Co): The Little Goblin Who Could

Sylvia Rose

Nov 28, 20246 min read

Cobalt (Co): The Little Goblin Who Could

Cobalt is a silvery grey metal used across various fields, including science, medicine, and industry. It receives its name from the...

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Glass of Antimony: Renaissance Purgatives

Sylvia Rose

Nov 24, 20244 min read

Glass of Antimony: Renaissance Purgatives

Glass of antimony , or vitrum antimonii , gives warm yellow or red hues. As Sb2O3, its use in alchemy is largely medicinal, one of many...

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S. pasteurii: Calcium Eating Limestone-Making Bacteria

Sylvia Rose

Nov 20, 20245 min read

S. pasteurii: Calcium Eating Limestone-Making Bacteria

Sporosarcina pasteurii is a gram-positive bacterium with the extraordinary ability to precipitate calcite and solidify sand when exposed...

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Calcium (Ca): Earth Metal of Structure & Strength

Sylvia Rose

Nov 20, 20245 min read

Calcium (Ca): Earth Metal of Structure & Strength

Calcium (Ca) is a vital element in life and health on Earth. A silvery white metal, calcium is a strong builder, from bone structure to...

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Liver of Sulfur: Alchemy, Metal & Medicine

Sylvia Rose

Nov 15, 20245 min read

Liver of Sulfur: Alchemy, Metal & Medicine

Liver of Sulfur is a unique compound of alchemy, metallurgy and medicine. Also known as hepar sulfuris or sulfurated potash, Liver of...

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Metal Salts: Ancient History to Modern DIY

Sylvia Rose

Nov 2, 20245 min read

Metal Salts: Ancient History to Modern DIY

Metal salts are compounds created from metals and acids. In history and today they enjoy uses in beauty, natural health, chemical...

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Heavy Metals Cadmium, Mercury, Lead, Chromium & Arsenic

Sylvia Rose

Oct 21, 20246 min read

Heavy Metals Cadmium, Mercury, Lead, Chromium & Arsenic

Toxic heavy metals cadmium, mercury, lead, chromium, and arsenic are elements known for high density and toxicity even in small amounts....

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Carbon Steel: Origins, Composition & Uses

Sylvia Rose

Oct 14, 20245 min read

Carbon Steel: Origins, Composition & Uses

Carbon steel is an essential material in various industries, renowned for versatility and strength. Uncover the secrets of carbon steel:...

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Tungsten: Elusive Metal of Light, Art & Industry

Sylvia Rose

Oct 12, 20245 min read

Tungsten: Elusive Metal of Light, Art & Industry

Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is a rare and versatile metal. In nature, tungsten is found in ore form, combined with other elements....

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Platinum (Pt): Junk Metal to Pure Treasure

Sylvia Rose

Sep 24, 20246 min read

Platinum (Pt): Junk Metal to Pure Treasure

Platinum (Pt) is one of the most treasured metals in the world. Known for its durability, rarity and luster, platinum is a symbol of...

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Antimony (Stibnite, Kohl) Ancient Metal of Science & Beauty

Sylvia Rose

Sep 22, 20245 min read

Antimony (Stibnite, Kohl) Ancient Metal of Science & Beauty

Antimony (Sb) from the ore stibnite, is one of the elements known by the ancients, a primary source of black powder kajal or kohl. With...

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10 Alchemical Metals - Ancient Metals of Alchemy

Sylvia Rose

Sep 17, 20246 min read

10 Alchemical Metals - Ancient Metals of Alchemy

Ten metals are used in alchemy since its ancient emergence. They are antimony, bismuth, copper, gold, iron, lead, quicksilver (mercury),...

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Almadén Mines: Ancient Mercury Extraction

Sylvia Rose

Sep 8, 20246 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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Ancient Traders & Buyers: Art of Testing Metals

Sylvia Rose

Sep 6, 20243 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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Metal Smelting & Metallurgy in the Ancient World

Sylvia Rose

Sep 6, 20244 min read

Metal Smelting & Metallurgy in the Ancient World

Smelting, the art of extracting metal from its ore through heating and extraction, has been a part of human civilization since c. 6000...

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Sylvia Rose

Aug 21, 20244 min read

Tellurium: Bright Gold & Dark Matter

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

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Sylvia Rose

Aug 20, 20245 min read

Alchemy: Metallurgy, Myths & Magic

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

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Sylvia Rose

Aug 20, 20244 min read

Smelting Metals: Metalwork & Alchemy

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

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