Purification

Purification is a lower-level spell. It suits the refining of minerals because it is not atomically transformational: its effect is the mere redistribution of electrons and bonds. It is therefore a technique available for industrial purposes.

In this sense purification is restricted to items not of the animal and plant kingdoms.

Purification is thought to be an evolution of the far older, and in many respects simpler, spell purify water.

Purification is unrelated to transmutation. Today it is used to separate contaminants from other metals. As a general technique it might be able to separate the metals in star-steel, but purifying star-steel would cause the material to lose all of its qualities. Society has no need for cobalt, molybdenum, and other metals, and judicious application of purification could cast those minerals out.

The contemporary cultures have no appreciation of atomic theory or advanced metallurgy, so the opportunities afforded by zone refining, atomic diffusion, and the like would be lost on them.

True alchemical transformation is a very advanced arcane skill.

See also: Tin, Star-steel, Nickel