METALLURGY, in a more general sense, comprehends the whole art of working metals, from the state of ore to the utensil; and in this sense, assaying, smelting, refining, parting, smithery, gilding, &c. are only branches of metallurgy. But in a more limited sense it includes only the operations which are followed in separating metals from their ores. For an account of these processes, see ORES, Reduction of; and for the practical branches, see GILDING, PARTING, PURIFYING, REFINING, SMITHERY.