 He is well known for his pioneering work "De re metallica libri XII", that was published in 1556, one year after his death.This 12-volume work is a comprehensive and systematic study, classification and methodical guide on all available factual and practical aspects, that are of concern for mining, the mining sciences and metallurgy, investigated and researched in its natural environment by means of direct observation.Unrivalled in its complexity and accuracy, it served as the standard reference work for two centuries.