Silver refining in the New World: A singularity in the history of useful knowledge

Historians have thoroughly documented the development of mercury-based silver refining in Spanish America in the late sixteenth century, and its use for over 300 years on an industrial scale unknown in Europe. However, we currently lack any consensus about the significance of this technology in the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:History of science 2024-06, Vol.62 (2), p.175-201
Main Authors: Guerrero, Saul, Pretel, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Economic incentives
Mercury
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Historians have thoroughly documented the development of mercury-based silver refining in Spanish America in the late sixteenth century, and its use for over 300 years on an industrial scale unknown in Europe. However, we currently lack any consensus about the significance of this technology in the global history of knowledge. This article critically reassesses the invention and improvement of this refining method with the aim of addressing two interrelated issues. Firstly, how experiential knowledge and practical skills in silver refining were deliberately harnessed to solve a specific technical problem. Secondly, how economic incentives and patronage set the stage for empirical practices and a collaborative culture that facilitated the widespread use of this novel technique. In so doing, this article places silver refining within the theoretical constructs and historiography of useful knowledge, and bridges narratives that have remained largely isolated.
ISSN:0073-2753
1753-8564
DOI:10.1177/00732753231185027