ABSTRACT
This skilled metallurgist and overseer of mining and mint operations in the German territories also wrote books on mining and metallurgy. He published his masterpiece, a treatise on ores and assaying, Beschreibung der allervornebmsten mineralischen Erze und Bergwerksarten, in 1574. Born in central Europe in an era of prolific metal production, as a young man Ercker obtained a position as assayer of Dresden. He received his appointment from the Elector Augustus, one of a number of German princes who earned substantial income from mines in their territories and who enthusiastically promoted mine, metallurgical, and alchemical operations. Ercker dedicated a pamphlet on assaying to the elector and was thereby promoted.
