Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-11
Smelling and Separating Silver ana
Lead.

From the Humboldt Rcgister.J
As tho railroad becomes q certalnsy tot
no far-of day in the history Of Humboldt
its line lying close to the Arabia ana WIN
nemuccs mines, all facts n improve
ments relating to smelling and renning
the silver contained in those argentiieious
palens ores assume an importance whicn
will command the attention Of enseip'is'
ing miners and capitalists.
In another column we notice tne sstius
Colorado has taken in advance OF US
smelling. This was to be expectea.
Freights to Colorado have been mucn
lower, and her views have been attackeo
with all the vigor which q free run on
New York capital could beget. We have
not been 50 favored; but Dur day is com.
ing. Signs-ths grey streak Of dawn snot
from the approaching day-are seen a..
ready; in the East, and through the
smoke which rises from the camp OF tho
engineers. The railroad, all engineers aa-
nit, lmust stretch along the Humboldt
Valley.
Our argentiferous ores will soon have q
value-at the dump. In view OF these
facts, we propose to stay and see the
breaking Of the day-to assist in rolling
away the dark clouds which have hung 90
close and so long.
To persons operating in the argentifer-
Gus galena ores, the following items, quo
ted from the New York Mder, will DO in
terssting:
An invention has been Professionally
specified for Don Francisco n. Milan del
Real, Of Bordeaux. the object Of which Is
to extract silver from lead. This lead is
run from the reverberatory furnace into q
heating pan, under which a strong IRE has
been previously made. in order that no
cooling of the lead may take place, but its
temperature may be raised IN q short time.
The surface of the lead is SKINNED, after
which he introduces about . part by
weight of carbonate Of ammonia to l00.-
900 parts Of lead contained in the heating
pan. To introduce the carbonate Of am.
monia he employs a perforated ladle with
a spring lid. This instrument, with the
carbonate of ammonia therein, is stirred
about in the lead for about Ave minutes,
when it is withdrawn. and a similar in
strument containing one part by weight
Of sea salt to about 10000 parts Of lead, ID
introduced into the lead. This instru-
ment is well stirred about in the lead for
about ten minutes. II the quantity Of
silver contained in the lead be very high,
then q proportionately greater quantity o.
sea salt is introduced.
The surface Of the lead is next skinned,
and the products Of this skimming ar.
placed in small heaps ready to be placed,
as hereafter described, in a close retorl
having a condensation chamber or cham
bers connected Herewith by suitable pas.
sages. After the skimming is completed
about one per cent. Of zinc is introduced
into the remaining lead in o. instrument
| similar to that used for introducing Sc,
| salt and carbonate of ammonia. The in.
strument containing the zinc is well stirred
in the lead for about five minutes eacf
time. 1t is introduced until the desired
quantity Of zinc has been added to tn,
lead. The fire is then withdrawn from
under the heating vessel containing thu
lead, and the door Of the furnace is left
open so that the lead may be cooled a
quickly as possible.
Directly the surface Of the lead present,
a chrystaline appearance; this chrystalizet
part is removed and placed in heaps, which
are then placed in the retort already re
ferred to. He first places on the bottom
Of the retors a layer OF vegetable charcoal
broken into small pieces upon this tn
chrystalized matter is placed, which i
next covered with q layer Of charcoal
The door Of the retort is then hermeti
cally closed and q fierce FIRE is made unde
the re,ort. After maintaining this FIRE 70
about two hours, the zinc which was con
tanned in the silver and lead introduce
into the retort will be found in the cham
Der Of condensation in connection with tn
retort in a state Of oxyd Of zinc. Whe
the distillation is completed, which ma
be readily ascertained by looking throug
q door into the condensation chamber, tn
retort is opsned and the product Of tn
second skimming introduced in order t
combine it with the silver in the retort.
The door 10 then closed for about tel
minutes, after which the rich lead is draw
off from the retort into q pot, from whic
it is taken to be refined. 1t will be founu
that all the silver contained in the lea,
excepting about ID to 2 parts of silver t
every 10000 parts Of lead) is found re
duced to a small volume, containing sufh
Client lead for its cupellation. Directly tn
chrystalized matter resulting from tn
third sklmming have been introduced int
the retort. the lead remaining in the heat
ing pans or vessels is run of into a rever
beratory furnace where it is kept unde
the action of q fierce FIRE for about thre
hours. 1t is then drawn off and cast int,
suitable moulds.