Based on author's doctoral thesis, McGill University (Montréal, Québec), 2015.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Front Matter -- Introduction -- The Genesis and Nature of Silver Ores -- The Dry Refining Process: Smelting of Silver Ores -- The Dry Refining Process: Its Impact on the Environment -- The Wet Refining Process: The Chemistry of the patio Process -- The Physical Infrastructure of the patio Process -- The Hacienda Santa María de Regla -- The patio Process and Smelting at Regla -- The Economies of Refining Silver -- The Environmental Impact of Silver Refining: A Shift of Paradigm -- Epilogue -- The Accounting Books of Regla -- Sensitivity Matrix for Refining Costs -- Estimates of Silver Production by Caja and Refining Process, Including Balance of Mercury Consumption and Physical Losses -- Glossary of Technical Terms in Spanish -- Archival Sources -- Bibliography -- Index.

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In Silver by Fire, Silver by Mercury: A Chemical History of Silver Refining in New Spain and Mexico, 16th to 19th Centuries , Saul Guerrero combines historical research with geology and chemistry to refute the current prevailing narrative of a primitive effort dominated by mercury and its copious emissions to the air. Based on quantitative historical data, visual records and geochemical fundamentals, Guerrero analyses the chemical and economic reasons why two refining processes had to share production, creating along the way major innovations in the chemical recipes, milling equipment, mercury recycling practice, and industrial architecture and operations. Their main environmental impact was lead fume and the depletion of woodlands from smelting, and the transformation of mercury into calomel during the patio process.

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