cupel

American  

[kyoo-puhl, kyoo-pel] / ˈkju pəl, kjuˈpɛl /

noun

1. a small, cuplike, porous container, usually made of bone ash, used in assaying, as for separating gold and silver from lead.

2. a receptacle or furnace bottom in which silver is refined.

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verb (used with object)

cupeled, cupeling, cupelled, cupelling

1. to heat or refine in a cupel.

cupel British  

/ kjʊˈpɛl, ˈkjuːpəl /

noun

1. a refractory pot in which gold or silver is refined

2. a small porous bowl made of bone ash in which gold and silver are recovered from a lead button during assaying

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verb

1. (tr) to refine (gold or silver) by means of cupellation

Other Word Forms

• cupeler
  noun
• cupellation
  noun
• cupeller
  noun

Etymology

Origin of cupel

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin cūpella, equivalent to Latin cūp ( a ) tub + -ella diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

First put the lead into a cupel, and after it begins to smoke, add the copper; the fire generally consumes the copper, together with the lead, in about one hour and a quarter.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

When the button has been taken out of the crucible and cooled, it is melted in a cupel, first until the antimony is exhaled, and thereafter until the lead is separated from it.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

The gold which remains is re-heated with stibium, and when this is exhaled the gold is heated for the third time in a cupel with a fourth part of lead, and then quenched.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

The button that settles is transferred to the cupel and re-melted.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Agricola, Georgius

Transfer to a small smooth cupel and place in the muffle.

From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Beringer, Cornelius