Career

After an early career as a soldier, du Chatelet became enthused with the study of minerals and undertook a tour of Europe visiting mines in Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Tyrol, Silesia, Moravia, Poland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Scotland, and England. Through his extensive research he gained an unequaled expertise in mining and minerals. The German emperors Rudolph and Matthias appointed him Commissary General of the Hungarian mines.

From around 1600 du Chatelet had undertaken a commission from the King of France to prospect within France and develop mines there.

The semi-occult methods he used brought him a brush with the ecclesiastical authorities in 1627 while in Brittany. They returned to France in 1630 to continue their work under a new French King, Louis XIII. They received no reply but the charges of sorcery were resurrected and they were both imprisoned - he in the Bastille and she in the Castle of Vincennes.

Both died in prison, he around 1645 and she in 1642.