The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1854-01-14
Assaying.

@&~SsJ AAA6s
To satisfy tho general curiosity As to the
process Of sssaying, we will give in detail the
method as prncticcd III this country 80 far as
II relates to coinagcs, as we find il in tho Wash
ington Union Science has so far perfccted
this method as to bring to comparative uni
fornity the modes practiccd in different coun.
tries--the main difference only in tho quantity
Of metal used for these trials AZ tho reduced
value Of bullion is exactly proportionate to the
degree Of admixturc with baser metals, mum.
erous methods had previously 70 tho one now
In usc) been devised for asccrtaining such ad-
mixture; but the uncertainty, tediousncss and
| expense attending these have found happy
alternative and succedancum In the art Of as
saying as nav practiccd, which unites the in
dispcnsible requisites OF precision, dispatch,
and chcapncss. In any certain weight OF the
subject of trial the question before the assaycr
is: How much fine gold, or fine silver, or Of
both, does il contain? To ascertain this fact,
Inc weighs small portion with suitable exact
ness, submits it to the usual process Of separa.
ting tho alloy, rc-weighs II when tho opera.
tion Is completed and makes his report accord
ingly. This operation is performed IN the
assay furnace, which contains kind Of earth
! Ell oven or muiic, within which arc placed
several small vessels made of bono ashes, known
by the name Of coppels or little cups which,
when sufficiently heated by tho charcoal fire,
with which the furnace is flied, and which
| cncloscs the mufiic on all sides, receives each
ono assay, wrapped in proper quantity OF thin
lead. These melting immcdiately together,
the lead becomes gradually and in part con-
vertcd to glass. Serving as incnstrum in
tho yitriilcation Of the other base metals Also
| these sink together into tho porous substance
OF the coppcl, leaving the precious metals on
the surlncc thoroughly refined, which finishes
| the process Of silver assay.
u gold Is the subject Of trial, the assay piece
| is beat thin, and soft in tho fire, and, when
rolled lightly together, is put into glass vcs-
sci containing aquafortis, previously heated
over gentlc flrc, in which the silver In dissol-
we'd, and the gold left in q state Of purity, re-
taining tho form il possessed previous to the
solution Of the silver. To secure the pcrfcc-
gold in the assay piecc should be as or o to
|, which addition, when necessary, Is made
before tho gold Is put on the coppcl Whom q
inixtrc Of gold and silver is tho subject Of trial.
and tho quantity Of the latter exceeds that Of
the former, II is called silpe,s plating, and, f
contraMisc. goia plating. With the formcr the
| ;assaycr proceeds in all respects as lie would
with q kilvcr assay, making his report on all
Tho fine uastl shc finds but in gold parting,
he WEIGHS two assay pieces Of equal weight, ono
q whlsls 'ie Sactly as silver assay and
s NJ, s5 itcss euss 10 No'iv,
nc !, weikas ttls tNlz1 NY pieces against each
4 o,i'e'ss tie q fhc fornier, which stsil
tFesssns tho report ef tht
nne ~. When the suelee
- I. s42ss tnsn ono mo'ety OF A'ioy
- z IS sser daa get
sI,' uo q eaehis fepofseu
s3s oi n tugs
s.sls, t'as error AZ s'le PRO
ss' 'lss! ts|!z mass iof Whatese
ss'y ss unit
g rsAi ifol
" s''s ''sst
fSSx RI b ,.18sk{ s.,,p,eas =
II -, g ;Ss !. :
s. = he
Essss, tflo io''s !.
I'm atenrs tsrcst, with refer
4 cIicc to the ~ took place to-
/ day a sight sltSkf Z 2Ss Iifs mercantile
! house pay 90 tia Il M M d 5|akhier of q
promIneilt eit ban 3 81 u the for
n,er By the n,eSse7sl If p ofS Tho dsnfl
4 WAS not end0rsed By tfisk 81 }f and the mes
Escngc upon being rcqus II 4sidorsc it fos
thai officer. stated that ne had it> authority te
Ea,ot deemed sufficient. ana the Efan was re-
] saifned to the proper slgueF
/ Aftcr three o'clock IL was bf@ Es<} Is a mo-