San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-06-16
SCENES IN WONDERLAND.
How They Treat ores-The Patio
Process-A Statue for Hidal-
go - Mescal - Short
Stops-Personals

NhO LO'cs
To the San Antonio LIGHT:
Mexico is now the greatest silver
and lead producing country on the
globe, there are hundreds, if not
thousands, of mines being worked
in this country. There is not a
week but what new mines are be-
ing discovered, and men put to
work to develop them. AS very
few persons have any idea of how
ores are treated, your correspond.
ent will, in this and future letters,
give brief sketch of the different
methods that have been adopted
by miners and smelters in the
treatment of ores.
THE PATIO PROCESS
Is the oldest process that is in use
in this country. 1t was discovered
Esy Mexican, Senior Bartolome de
Medina, a native of the city of Pa
chuca, in the year 1851. Pachuca is
situated about sixty miles from
the City of Mexico. The Patio pro-
cess is as follows;
Qhe crude ores are brought in
from the mines and dumped in
piles in a yard. The ores are then
put in to a close box and pulver-
ised. They do this by erecting a
wooden bum which has an iron
shoe on the end of it. 1t is attach
ed to a horizontal beam or lever
which is worked on the principal
of we'll drill. This is worked by
horses or mules.
After the ores are pulverized
they are put into a stone mill or
vat and ground into mud, water
being added to them while grind
ing. After they are ground up in
to mud they are spread out on a
cement floor and quick silver and
salt brine is poured over them.
They are then left in the open air
and exposed to the sun for twenty
or thirty days; they are stirred up
daily either with men or mules
which are driven over them until
the quick silver and salt is
thoroughly incOrE Grated with the
ore. After the ores are thus treat
ed they are taken to water tanks
and washed, until all the earth is
washed from the mercury, silver,
copper and gold. After the wash
ing the ores are put through a
strainer until all the quicksilver is
separated from the ores. They are
then sent 10 the furnaces and the
silver is sci arated from the copper
and gold, and run into bars.
At some mines they treat certain
kinds of ore by the same system,
as follows:
After the ore has been exposed to
the air and sun on the cement
floors they are carried TO an en-
clined trough which is from 60 to
so feet long, 20 feet wide, with a
cement bottom, and thrown into it.
There are number of men on
both sides of it who keep pouring
water on the ore, so as to separate
the earth from the metal. The ore
falls at the foot Of the trough while
the mud runs off into a ditch.
That which remains at the foot of
the trough is thon taken up and
carried to boiler where it is heat
ed, being constantly stirred until
all the mud is run off and the
metal remains. The remainder is
then taken to the amalgOmat-
ing room and again washed
and only the mercury silver
copper and gold remains. The ore
is then strained, the mercury Sc
perated, and the ores are sent to
the furnace and the silver run of
into bars. Thus it will be seen
that the Patio process is simple
and inexpensive. 1t does not re,
quire any expensive machinery tC
treat the ores, nor much skilled
labor.
In my next letter / will give q
description of the "Lixiviling'
process.
A STATUE FOR HIDALGO.
Last week Governor Bernardo
Reyes, let contract to j. R. ant
w. w. Price Of this city for the
erection of statue of Hidalgo on
the Hidalgo plaza, in this city
The base will be built of TopC
Chico black marble, and surmount
ed by bronze statue.
On Monday morning Mr.. George
Bower, commenced to work in cut
ting the marble, one block will bt
AKA feet 4 inches and feet inches
high, and will weigh about sly
tons. The statue is to be finished
before the 18th September ant
will be unveiled on the 10th, the