As a roleplayer and mostly as a DM, thought it important to know historically how things were done, historically and and further back.
One of the things I did not know is that in Ch'na, they were using jade for their anvils, and hammers when working with metals.
Silver and gold were used primarily as currency. Platinum was used to make vessels and ornaments. Copper was used for much the same thing, and also in industry for the making of pigments and glass making. Its incredible just how much technology existed between 3000 to 5000 years ago in China.
The one thing in my research of technology, is the means by which some civilizations quarried for stone. That alchemy and blacksmithing are very much related.
That the very old blacksmith, was not only responsible for making things of iron, but were also your metallurgist, crystallurgist and general metal smith.
Copper was always hammered, bronze and brass were cast, that granite tools were used to shape jade, and only iron tools were used for the more intricate work. A granite wheel, though I have never tried it, can be used to grind a diamond to dust.
Magic wands were not made of wood, but of brass and bronze, two rods of equal length, with a washer in between to separate the two rods, and a crystal attached to the brass end, when a connection made of the two rods, held by one hand, caused the gem or crystal to glow. As if by magic, illumination, without batteries.
Two metal powders, sand and acetic acid in a glass container, can be made to glow. Its a recipe in alchemy, and it works. Very Cool! (You can find the recipe on the Alchemy Web Site:
http://www.levity.com)
Electrum, is silver and gold in equal portions. It makes the gold stronger, and also stops your finger from turning green in its reaction to the pH level of your skin. Gold and Silver are 50/50 when combined together.
Silver has higher acid resistance than platinum, as platinum reacts to HCl and silver does not.
I would say that I am more an alchemist than a blacksmith, though I do have blacksmith training.
Adamantite, is the combination of diamond (adamant) dust with iron.(Historically speaking) However in the realms it is rarely found in nature.
Adamantine, is adamantite 5/8ths, with 2/8ths silver, and 1/8th electrum.