The weekly Arizona miner., 1868-10-03
Quicksilver vs. Melted Zine.

Successful gold mining comprises the pos session of sufficiently rich quartz to pay for extraction and working. and the ability Co extract the gold from the quartz economi- cally and perfectly, in as few operations, and with as simple machinery, as possible, re- quiring the presence of only such conditions as are anywhere at hand.
 When we fairly examine the retentiye fac ulty of quicksilver for gold, we find t very limited, indeed that the affinity acts only on the perfectly pure surface of both-a mi nority of cases in reality-and that reduc ton in temperature so greatly reduces the af- finity, that It hardly exists below ternpera- ture of 42o Fah. The result is that, on an average, only one half. or thereabout, of the gold is extracted by quicksilver from the ore, the rest is either carried away as hoat-gold, by the water required for the batteries, or re- mains in the tailings This fact, known Co every intelligent operator, should alone be sufficient to point out the imperative necessi- ty of deyising other extracting agents for that great majority of ore, containing more than SEQ Co $25 per ton but not rich enough to leave profit by direct chlorinatiou. Con- centration of the sulphurets. for chlOrination, involves at best a great loss in fioat-gold Many localities, with rich quartz veins, have insufficient water for batteries within conye- nient distance, and for the greater part of the year the ore has to be hauled long distances, with heavy expenditure, to mill-sito with water, or the mine must be abandoned and lie idle.
 The case therefore stands thus: What is required, is an extracting agent, that does the work complete cheaper than chloride, and requiring no water to reduce the ore, except such as Is needed for the engine.
 Zine, of all substances in existence-ehlo- ride not excepted-has the greatest affinity to gold. Its action, in melted state, on gold, is to instantaneously dissolve the same in any proportion. Its specific gravity-about = is sufficiently high to float all debris, not ex. cepting sulphurets of iron, the constant com panion of gold. It melts at a comparatively low temperature and requires but little heat 10 retain it's melted state. It is sufficiently volatile to permit Of retorting. as in the use of quicksilver, but by covered surface and temperature below dark-red heat, the los. by volstilization and burning is hardly ap preciable, while the metal is obtained at low price and in any quantity required Thu we have in zinc, material manageable anc fulfilling the conditions required of a gold eX traeting agent in high degree higher thar any other known
 The mode of applying it for this purpos, was patented, April 7th, lSGs, by the under signed, for many years engaged in gold min ing. It consists simply in gradually intro ducing the gold. bearing ptilverized substance below the surface, into bath of melted zinc which will immediately attack ard dissoly nearly or every particle of gold, while tn debris rises to the surface to be taken of The mechanism is very simple and durable Should sulphurets, in which particles of gol, are so firmly imbedded as not to offer an contact even on the smallest point, preyen the extraction to such degree, that 1t vii pay to work it over by concentration roast ing and chlOrinatiOn, it may be done. Bu all the gold, in an other manner lost as float gold, and much more, is certainly alread saved by the zinc. Dry crushers to be use m preference.
 Millions of tans oi .=;!inGs. neg worshIes waste, might thus be worked proftably, an thousands of good mines not capable of prof table working by amalgamation or chlorina tion, could be made to yield fair profits Mi lions of dollars annually would thus be save to the country. Gold mining throughout tn country ianguishes for the want of such radical improvment. The additional cost extraction by zinc may be stated as about $ to SIP per ton, or less than half of chlorin, tion, while if does the work fully c= Esea.I ss effectually, certainly infinitely quicker.
 R. D'HEUREUsE.