RE:RE:solid scienceAlchemy just makes it sound medieval e.g "the medieval forerunner of chemistry, based on the supposed transformation of matter. It was concerned particularly with attempts to convert base metals into gold or to find a universal elixir."
The PUREVAP technology is state of the art refining involving the one step production of polysilica from quartz as a result of the elimination of elements (impurities) with a higher vaporization pressure than that of silicon.
Cheers, Nap