The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-09-15
A VALUABLE METAL.
How Quicksilver Is Obtained and the Many
Uses to Which 1t Is Put.

How Quicksilver Is Obtained and the Many
Uses to Which 1t Is Put.
Quicksilver forms part of soft red
rock called cinnabar, composed of mer-
curry and sulphur. The cinnabar is
crushed and exposed to the heat, when
the metal, in form of vapor, passes into
a vessel suitable for the purpose, where
it is cooled. Then, being reduced to its
liquid state, it is pure and fit for USE
When men working in the mines
heat the rocks, the quicksilver will
sometimes roll out in drops as large as
pigeons egg, and fall on the ground
in a million sparkling globules. 1t is
said to be very beautiful against the
dark, red rock, glittering everywhere
with this Giving silver" while every
crack and crevice is also filled with it.
Just as wood floats on water because it
is lighter, so large stones thrown into a
kettle of mercury would float on top, it
is SO much more heavy a substance than
| the stone.
There are only four important local
tiles where it is obtained california
Peru, Austria and Almaden, in Spain.
The mines in Peru were discovered in a
curious manner. Cinnabar, when
ground very fine, makes beautiful red
paint. The Indians used this to orna-
ment their bodies on great occasions.
This caused the country where they
lived to be examined, and the cinnabar
was found. The Romans used this
paint hundreds of years ago in decorat-
ing their images. 1t is of great value
now in our times, and we call it yer.
million.
This wonderful quicksilver is very
useful in separating metals from the
rocks to which they cling. The rocks
are crushed fine, sifted and washed I'M
til as much of the gold and silver is re-
moved as possible. Then it is placed in
bottle with the quicksilver, which
seems to absorb it at once, separating
it entirely from every particle of sand
or rock. If the metal to be cleaned is
gold, you will see yellowish mass of a
sort of paste or anna gam. This is
heated, and the mercury or quicksilver
flies away, leaving behind it pure gold.
1t is only after years of patient toll and
very many unsuccessful attempts that
this mountaineering process was
brought about.
Not many years ago, near the rich
gold mines of California, there We're dis.
covered large mines of quicksilver.
Previous to this, all the quicksilver had
to be shipped to this country from for
eign shores, which made it very hard to
obtain, and very expensive. Now, The
tables are turned. For we, after supply
ing our own demand, can supply other
countries ourselves plentifully.
Although mercury is so useful in many
ways, it is also a deadly poison, and its
vapor So dangerous that in the search
for it many persons have lost their lives.
Not many years ago the mines of Austria
took fire, and thirteen hundred work.
men were poisoned, many of them dying
in consequence; and the water used tc
quench the flames, pumped into river
near by, caused all the fish in the river
to die.
Have you ever seen mercury carried
about? 1t is put in sheepskin bags and
cast-iron bottles. 1t is so heavy that in.
stead of an ordinary cork, an iron stop
per is used-screwed in! Sometimes
these bags do sad havoc, as in the case
of a storage of several in the hold of a
ship, bringing it to this country. Some
of the bags leaked. Everybody on board
was poisoned. Every bit of metal was
covered with silver coating of quick
silver. -Interior.