The New York herald., 1878-03-13

chem mcay pure gold The ealirs process - bs1asi-
lu sua the deiisssy 70 .hlsn . nas bees esessnt ca
istry within this century.
ASSAY
Granuiated silver 70 used silver arsay a. ID
has been demonstrated by this Nina and lhe Mat Of
Paris France, that out Of granulaied she
uis or a number together. From . sample % silver
prepared IN this way, the weight l,ll5i.oos % .
with nitric acid Into this solution a pipslte len
OF standard solution OF sals 10 introduced aud
Of silver containing metallic silver 600 paris "a
pipette Is small vial shaped glass vesssLl To
this chloride subside rapidly the liquid should be
lently shaken and this is done by mechanical
arrangement, the time occupied being about
twenty minutes. the entire amour, Of
portion OF the solution made capable OF pfecp-
tating thousandth OF silver aud whe cloud OF the
liquor s clear. ii IN tins operation three measures
oil the decimal solution is effective u VIII show that
the ll6 parts OF silver contained zoos parts OF pure
silver. All the excess impure matter THIS
partment OF the Philadelphia Mint has been brought
TO the utmost limit OF present metaurgcal science.
AS conrmative OF their evident superiority an met
dent would not pc Inappropriate.
AN INTERNATIONAL DISPUTE.
Some years ago, when but moderate quantities of
gold mined In this country tho mt depended for
supply manly upon thcreceipt OF British CON. IL
was discovered by an assay that consignment from
England below the English standard. Notice 10
this effect served upon the Royal Mint at London
The assertion was strenuousy denied tneir part.
insisted upon just firmly by the officials OF tho
United States Mint The controversy, which was
oil investigation on The part of the London mnt and
the completely sustained the allegations OF the
American experts From that date there has been
questioning of the decisions OF our mint masters
THE SEPARATING ROOM
The separating room occupies tho greater part OF
the western side Of the building the second floor
The gold and silver in large separated from
each other after samples nave been once melted and
assayed. In separating and purifying gold certain
quantity of pure silver Is added. Tne Ohole is then
immersed in nitric acid, which dssolves the SILVER
ana leaves the gold pure. The silver solution drawn
of the gold is left at the bottom OF tho tub In
preparing silver the mass IS melted and granulated
and diss Owed in nitric uct. IL then chloride
and all of the baser metals. The chloride Is
prccptated by using common salt, and rendered into
a thick, creamy mass. BY putting The pre-
cipnale il becomes metallic silver and washing ana
melting brings II to virgin silver.
MELTING.
In this department there force OF forty.one men
engaged IN smelling gold and silver In subsidiary
operations OF this force there are seven meters and
seventeen helpers engaged solely melting silver.
This gang working exclusively upon the prep
ara,ion OF the silver dollars. II is claimed by Pro-
ngots sufficient to mako $780, 900 silver COIN THIS
their lu capacity OF work within len hours, and is
or IN any other. BY WORKING overtime with
the same force and with the furnaces
by using the additional furnaces und overtime,
$120,Oo0 per day might be produced THIS would in
crease the ratio o.. production from $i0oO,O0o per
month to 81, 25O,0 10 81, 900 900 per month.
IL curious 10 note the amount ol work $l 000 O0U
per month involves. The $4,000 producto per day
weighs ITO pounds, aud beng handled l6 times day
makes 9s 100 pounds The iron mouds weighing 40
pounds each, carried "a times for melt, makes
| III, $50 pounds, or IS TONS A mott OF sii.
| yer tho present pots averages CA ingots,
weighing aIIoge Ter about 5000 ounces Tne SIZE OF
the iugot Is IL lncnes IN length ~ inches width
aud one-hali inch IN Thickness; weighing about A
ounces troy. These lngots are rolled down for the
new dollar to thickness OF 81 O00th OF inch and
cut to diameter oi "a inches. The keeping up oil
the average Of purity IN The smelling is done py a
constant SUCCESSION OF Eranulated assays. In met
a:er ngots they pour granuated assay,
10 the last anoher assay. If fthe TWO do
agree the melt Ia condemned The sliver now IN
| is tue Dore sVpr, from the Coms,ock lodo. IL sell
| dom needs refining, aud s taken rulo from the
bar TO the melting pot
/ LOSSES
The losses In the melting department allowed by
law IS, In silver 0Ol5th, ,000 and the actual
but 77-l0Ous OF III 0UOh. In gold the legal
allowance OF loss ls l. 000th, while actual loss
but 44100lh OF IL, ,OU0b. This Is the exhibit OF the
melting department. IN the month OF January, wnen
| about S. 100000 in god melted. The above
figures considerably reduced when the sweepings
are gathered refined brought the general
account. Inc chief melter, Professor Booth
satisfied unt the actual loss is reduced 10 one fourth
| Of the legal allowances.
| The ingots Of metal pass from the melting rooms
directly INTO the rolling to be mllied suita-
| bic szss Tor the planchet or cutting proccss Tho
cuttins presses are III the rear OF the rolling mills
There niue OF these machines each capable OF
to any size coin they be regulated by the size
OF the movable punch. Samples OF each series OF
tings carefully weighed Doore they are permitted
to be used. The planchets alter be ng to tho
requisite weight are carried 10 the cleaning room, and
are tnen READY lof Tue nnai process.
THE DIES.
The dies used in coming at present made under
the direction OF Mr. Morgan, iorner empoye in his
special department IN the Royal Mint of London, a
gentleman OF ability designer aud engraver
ana oi hne artIstic taste The coinage, which
may expected TINS week, Will illustrate his abi-
ties In no measured degree The mohe ot preparing
tho dies is slow, requiring great care first In the sep
araton OF the MATERIAL ana second III the anncailng
and adjustment for tne blow. hach die under ordi-
nary usages Is subject to one blow day but Mr.
Morgan In order TO facilitate the production Of dies
In cnlis has dor
taken to give Them Two blows every twenty
tour hours. This Is but experiment and may
prove failure. In preparation Tor the blow
the die must be brought gradually TO cherry
red heat charcoal furnace permitted to grad
uaIy cool WITHIN the furnace, the operation occupy
ing from sixteen to twenty-four hours. The blow
producing the impression Is from hydrauc press
IA rapid blow. out may DC truly termed pressure ex
criing quick but not persuasive power. percus-
sion always crytaliizes the metal, an objection on
tirciy avoided by this application of forco.
SLOW PROCESS
The preparation OF the dies as VIII be by the
above description must be STOW, and, taxing into
slderation tho time necessarily occupied their
Justments, II would be impossible, under the most
able that coming can pegin prior
to the l4th OF month II then. The delivery
OF ingols for hc coinage was made Monday, and
blanks are being cut rapidly, the chief coner,
Mr. BOsbysholi, giving us his opinion that
already there are sufficient hand waiting
STAMPING 10 amount to 100000 The Mint
is being placed In elective condition do
all thai It's contracted quarters will permit toward
supplying The demands that the bill calls Ninety
thousand ounccs OF silver delivered from the
refining and melting department. amount that Will
produce somewhere near 100000.
The peculiarly OF Mr. Morgan's work is the bring
ing INTO reci, with slight depression, that winch
was considered unatiainabe except by strong lines
deep work. Tho secret oi effects is In the sharp
lines used IN the dclincation OF the figures, which
brings the lights and shadows out boldly, and mus
gives the appearance Of heavy work. ASIDE from
reei lhis Light cutting gives TO the die It's work
the coin Is more Rapidly removed from bed after
completion by the 'ceders'
COMING DEPARTMENr.
Occupying the portion @ tho eagteru floor IL
~ considered the most Interesting part OF the opera
uous oi the Mint There are eleven presses In this
room OF different Sizes varying according to tho work
required oi thom Each press Is capable OF coiniug
40 pieces per minute but inc average run Is Dut
ei-hiy. ~ beyonO that number the danger OF injury
the press ia case of accident Is much increased
The larger presses, o.: which there are i've, viii
Only po used Ia the coming OF the now silver
dollar, ana at tho rate Of eighty pieces each per
inmate there VIII be produced 400 pieces
minute or -, QUO an hour. on each silver dollar, TO
create perfect Impression, iorce OF eighty tons Is
n..d- all Le TIC mAclLnes delicaieX Adiusiad