Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-02-26
AN IMPORTANT INVENTION.

l.
with miners, and to be of great benefit in bring
ing out and of thus increasing for circulation this
precious metal. The Journal speaks as follows
[ of Berdans Crusher:.
Ourattention has been called 10 tie report recent
ly put forth by committee appointed by the Phoenix
Gold Mining Company for the examination of machn-
cry for the ule OF that Company. One of the state
me1ts made in the report of so surprising ma
ture that we were led 10 devote little enquiry
to the subject. We visited the Novelty Iron Works,
where we found in Mr.. Berdan, (he inventor of The
machine which in one operation professed grind
the quartz rapidly, to do the amalgamating and
extract oil the g0G,) gentleman of scientific attain
ments and liberal information, disposed TO be
NEGATIVE and willing to assist in the object had in
view. From the statements made and certificates,
possessed by Mr.. Berdan, have doubt that the
desderatum long sought for by miners has length
been discovered, viz: machine that OiH reduce he
inpGLpa6e po,oder and errGct The ,vhoLe Of the
mineral held therein. The importance of an inven-
ton that would eectually perform this operation, can
scarcely be imagined. Hitherto miners have been
content if their ores have produced per h..
experiment is cited by the Committee wherein they
tested SO lbs of gold bearing quartz from mine the
ores of which had not previously yielded more than
one half cent. ID. and which specimen subjected
to the test of the machine invented by Mr.. Berdan
gave $3.50 of pure gold. Thus the proceeds were
increased three fold by the system, with further
satisfaction that the Te6duuu. Lailings entire
ly deprived of gold.
Comment such result is scarcel y necessary
the invention must supersede all others. Orders,
learn, have poured in upon the manufacturer in such
profusion that he cannot keep pace with the demand,
although he has more than hundred men employ
ed in the manufacture. In few shor: months tine
produce of the California mines must be quadrupled
only by the power these machines give the Vari
companies to prohtably reWork their present
ation of refuse taiings but by the increased
yield drawn from the quartz. The improvement of
Mr.. Berdan consists in combining crushing, pulver-
Zing, washing and anna gamatlng and the
s
orders have been given for machines in which the
pulverizng balls TO weigh five thousand lbs. (cast
hollow and to be Allied in the mnes,) they will be
used without stampers, the balls being sufficient to
crush the ore as II comes from the Mines"
The same paper contains the report of the Com
mittee above alluded to, signed by William Cut
ting, S. p. Andrews, John P. Lord, and John II.
Lester. Mr.. Cutting, it is stated, is a gentleman
extensively known for his great experience and sue
cess in practical mining operations" The follow
ing from this report embraces description of this
machine with its advantages over all others:
Mr.. Berdan's machine seems, however, TO to
combine every advantage. 1t performs all the opera
tons after the rock is partially broken by sampers
the complete separation of the last particle OF gold
The following description of the Mill will, it is
hoped, be found sufficient intslligible
The pulVerzer and anna gamator consisted of cast
iron basin five feet in diameter and eighteen inches
deep. The periphery of the basin turns up In a cir
Gle of 24 inches This basin is secured 10 a wrought
iron shaft which stands angle of about % de-
grees from a perpendicular line, compelling the basin
revove in tilted Inclined position, keeping
side about 20 inches lower than the other. This ba
sin surmounts conca funnel shape cast iron fur
nace-the smallest and lower end resting collar
the shaft the step. In the lower side OF the
basin placed cast iron ball "a inches In diameter
weighing 1900 pounds, This basin IS revolved with
the shaft and furnace in the inclined position by ap
plying the power by geeriDg which is cast on tEs
under side OF the basin. When The basin commence
the ball revolves by its gravity,
stantly remaining at the lowest point In the basin
the ball just fitting the basin produces beautlfu
grinding effect, (trOm the fact that the ball has dou
bic motion, rolling and spiral motion, which crush
es and grnds at the same nme) The quicksilver is
placed in the inclined basin and is compelled 10 keep
the crushing point OF the ball. and is kept partial
Iy warmed by furnace Underneath the basin to in
crease affinity for the gold. The ore Is first bro
ken up about the size of shot by sampers, which
in separate frame, and placed on slight eleva-
ton above the basin, 10 use spouts to conduct
the ore and in the basin. The ball puiveriZes
the impaI pable powder at the bottom of the
thus bringing every particle OF gold In con-
tact with the pure and warm quicksilver, and is
anna gamated it is freed from the quartz,
while the earthly Matter, when sufficiently pulVer-
lied, rises in the by the agitation of the water
by the ball. and passes of as sediment through
openings In the sides oil the Ddsn near Inc top II
is the great advantage of this arrangement that it
brings the gold in contact with the quicksilver below
surface, from the fact that ali the Impurities and
foreign
with oxide Of iron and other substances yielded
up by the ore, which prevents the particles of
gold from coming in actual contact with the quick
silver, if it is suffered likewise float Up the
ace, as il will do on that fluid only. The defect of
he amal gamators heretofore in is, that they ANAL
surface, else pass the gold aud quartz
lust the quicksilver in such large bodies that
zach distinct particle of gold is exposed
ion. Stampers indispensable for breaking the S
in the first place, but do not reduce fine enough
free the fine particles of the gold from the
The double motion, the crushing and grinding a
movement of the ball, obtained by exceedingly O
impIe and ingenious means. The latter is secured =,
y spiral effect gven to The motion of the ball it
oils in the basin by of attaching fixed point
n the ball by rotating pivot turning in sleeve, n
which revolVes the endline shaft which supports
he basin, that While the ball rolls down the in e
lined basin constantly presented TO it by the revoIv
NO basin by lis gravity, the inner side of the
all is held back and the outer side forced 10 move
ound upon a centre of motion which is the u
he centre OF The grinding surface of the ball in the
asin. The first be changed to four different
oints so as to keep the bali always round onefourth
the surface of the ball filling the basin, while the Il
all makes two revolutions in its rolling motion it
Ia kcs spirally, the basin fitting the ball upon
o inches circumference.
The main feature of this improvement then is that
ne motion of the ball in the inclined basin is such
comne the gold come in contact with the quick lie
liver at the bottom of the basin. and just at the
rushing point, while the whole is kept partially
Gated by the furnace below, whereby the affinity Of
re quicksilver for the gold is greatly augmented, and
lat it combines the two motions which are most es-