The Alchemy Key.pdf - Veritas File System

and the stable chloride ion (AuCl4 - ), which remains in solution. The
chloride ion gives the solution a light green tint.
While the alchemists cheered at synthesizing a solvent for gold,
which they thought was the first step to the Philosophers’ Stone, many
failed to realize that they had created the highly explosive substance
fulminating gold. This compound results from adding ammonia to Auric
Hydroxide, which is the precipitate formed when potash (Potassium
Carbonate) is added to gold dissolved in Aqua Regia.
Really, gold is soluble in any solution that contains both a
chloride ion and an oxidizing agent. Even common salt (NaCl) or laundry
bleach (calcium hypochlorite) will provide a free chloride ion.
Hydrochloric acid and ammoniac solutions also directly dissolve
gold at seventy-five degrees Celsius. This requires an oxidizer such as
cupric ammine, oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, or sodium hypochlorite. 770
Even at relatively low temperature, hydrochloric acid and hypochlorite
produces chlorine, which provides a highly oxidizing environment.
Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes when added to metallic gold in
aqueous hydrochloric acid. Electron transfer directly creates the ion
species AuCl4 - , AuCl3(OH2), and AuCl3(OH) - . 771 Oxidation by hydrogen
peroxide is a dangerously exothermic process leading to explosions. The
advantage is that the process avoids nitrogen compounds, which are
difficult to remove in the traditional wet process.
A number of metals will dissolve gold, when the metals are at
their melting point, for example metallic mercury (Hg) will dissolve a
small amount of gold at room temperature. In about 1120 or 1150 CE,
Artephius wrote of a process for dissolving gold in a particular metal.
Shortly, we will look further into his method.
First, we must look for the prima material, the starting point for
Philosophical Mercury. An elusive alchemist called Fulcanelli riddled for
us the common name from which Mercury has traditionally been
prepared. He says it is an approximation, corresponding to the Oak tree
and to the ram. 772
We will try to solve this riddle because it provides us with a
unique insight into the fractal nature of hermetic drift. Fulcanelli
suggested that we focus on the gall apples on the leaves of the oak. The
Apple tree or Quert is associated with the Oak and the Oak is of the genus
Quercus and generally linked with the God Q're.
We know that apple trees have a deep mythical significance. In
Thessaly, visiting Hyperborean Druids noted the apple tree and associated
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