San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-07-05

about five in diameter. After the
mufile has been heated in fur
mace, where it remains, and the
fire is now increased, and air is
admitted into the mutfle, its
oxygen unites with the lead
and forms the oxide of lead,
which, in fact, vOlatilizes and es-
capes through the air hOless in the
side of the mutfle, while the re-
mainder sinks into the porous
cupel, carrying with it the base
metals which may have been pres
ent in the ore.
The silver and gold remain upon
the surface of the cupel as a glo-
bule of molten metal, and when
the last traces of lead leave it the
globule suddenly lightens, becom-
ing brilliant and white. 1t is then
slowly allowed to cool, an opera
ton in which great care is neces-
sary; for if the cooling be not very
gradual, the little button of metal
"spitS," that is, it throws off pOr-
tions of the metal, and thus inter-
Nllh al II uc w It'll
cooled the button is removed from
the mutfle, and the bead of metal
carefully weighed and the amount
of gold and silver ascertained in the
sample ore assayed.
From the figures thus obtained,
it is a simple matter to ascertain
the amount of the three metals in
the ton of ore from which the sam
pies were taken.
From the looks of the cupel, the
assayest will have no trouble in
ascertaining what other metals
may have been present, as lead
alone imparts an orange stain to
the cupel, copper, a gray or dark
brown tinge and an iron black
stain.
SEPARATING THE ORES.
Now comes the operation of sep
arating the gold from the silver,
in order to ascertain the exact
quantity of each. AS there is a
much greater proportion of silver
than gold, the bullion is placed on
an anvil and beaten out, and the n
passed through steel rollers, until
reduced to the thickness of an or
binary calling card. 1t is then
rolled up and put into glass YES
sci with strong nitric acid and left
there until all the silver is dissOlv-
ed by the acid, leaving the gold as
brown cOlored spOngy mass, in
the shape of the card as it was
when put into the glass vessel.
The vessel is then carefully inVert-
ed into a crusible, the acid poured
off, and the crusible and its con-
tents raised to red heat in a fur
mace. When cooled the gold has
assumed its yellow color and me-
saticl ulster, and become soft and
flexible. The gold is now pure, and
gives the exact weight of
the amount of the metal
in the ton operated on.
Thus it will be seen that it re-
quires great deal of labor, care
and skill to sample ores. Every
mine owner keeps an assayer at
the mine; the purchasers have
their own assayer and they send
samples to the public assayers, so
as to make sure that no mistakes
have been made. If all of them
made careful assay the difference
between them will not amount to
one-fifth of one per cent.
SHORT STOPS.
The program for the Fourth of
July at the San Juan park will
consist of two base ball games, first
prize 500, second prize $50; lassO-
ing contest, $40; foot race, silver
medal; sack race and wheelbarrow
race. Col J. r. Price, aged 6S years,
E. Levan, Ga years, John Goodman,
the American tailor, q years, Prof.
Henry Schiller, Houston, "a years,
Judge Joseph Fitzsimmons, of Cor
pus Christi, and Max B. Meyer, of
San Antonio, have entered for the
foOt-race. Max will present the
winner with gallon demijohn of
Kentucky hardware.
The renowned Mexican expert
lassoing champion of the world,
Prof. Orepeza, will give an exhibit
ton on that Ocration.
The Miss Emma Lynden troupe
has been giving entertainments
the past week to full houses at the
Teatro TivilO Runero.
PERSONALS.
DR.. p. p. Lounsbery and Max B.
Meyer, Of the firm of Hooper & Bur-
COVER & Co., of San Antonio, spent
a few days in the city and paid the