Agricola, Georgius; De Re Metallica. Translated from the first Latin edition of 1556 with biographical introduction, annotations and appendices upon the development of mining methods, metallurgical processes, geology, mineralogy & mining law from the earliest times to the 16th century by Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover. The Mining Magazine, London, 1912. Folio, pp. xxxi, 640 pages numerous illustrations.
The work is complete and bound in the original publisher's vellum, with black spine lettering. Limited edition of 3000 copies printed by the Mining Magazine in 1912. The binding is tight with only minor soiling to boards. The text is clean and bright, free of signatures and stamps. A very clean copy in very good condition.
This volume is the 1st English translation of Agricola’s De Re Metallica, privately published by subscription. The original work is considered by historians to have laid the foundation for all future works on mining and ore deposits. It was translated by future President Herbert Hoover, a mining engineer, and his wife, Lou Henry Hoover, a geologist and classical scholar.
The book is separated into 12 parts: Book I: Arguments for and against this art; Book II: The miner and a discourse on the finding of veins; Book III: Veins and stringers and seams in the rocks; Book IV: Delimiting veins and the functions of mining officials; Book V: The digging of ore and the surveyor's art; Book VI: The miners' tools and machines; Book VII: On the assaying of ore; Book VIII: Roasting, crushing and washing ore. Book IX: Methods of smelting ores; Book X: Separating silver from gold and lead from gold or silver; Book XI: Separating silver from copper; Book XII: Manufacturing salt, soda, alum, vitriol, sulphur, bitumen, and glass.
