The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-16
Ancient Metallurgy


NY clients, it is noted with interest
that our comprehensive and scientific metal
lurgical processes of to-day like many other
branches of modern science began from
rather thoughtless experiments and accl-
dental discoveries Similar to the accidental
explosion resulting from the grinding OF
certain ingredients which ended the pious
existence Of a medieval monk and incident
ally marked the beginning of the manufac-
ture Of explosives, the accidental discovery
Of native silver in the outcrops OF an ore
which had been exposed to the heat OF
forest fire, marks the beginning of the met
allurgy of silver. That heat would reduce
this silver ore, led the ancient netallurglst
to line of thinking and application.
AS gold is the only wiely distributed,
metal which occurs in the native state it
was, as one would naturally suppose, the
first of which use was made. According to
Del Mar all three metals, gold, silver and
copper were known and used for coins by
the Chinese during the reign Of Yu about
22l8 B. C. The order in which the metals
were made use Of by man is gold, copper
silver and IRON
Quoting from Pliny, '.gold was found in
India where the ants cast it up out OF the
ground, in Scythia where it was gathered Dy
the Griffins and in certain streams Of Spain,
Italy, Asia and India" Pliny adds further,
.sother minerals after their extraction require
fire for their conversion into metal, but
gold is gold as soon as it is found. He also
mentions that gold does not rust, and lays
much stress on the fact that even such
strong solvents as salt and vinegar 40 not
make the least impression, and for its purl-
tication it should be mixed with lead. From
his description Of amalgamation as carried
on by the ancionts it is evident that our
modern practice has changed comparatively
little. To refine gold the metal was shaken
in q suitable receptacle with mercury which
collected the gold. To expel the mercury
the mixture is poured on skins which on
being pressed allows the mercury to pass
through in drops while the gold remained
ii allits purity" This is Of course incor-
rect for the product would still be amalgam
and would require further treatment by
heat to obtain the gold. To prevent the
4 theft Of the amalgam the ancients feigned
that the metal was sacred to Mercury from
which god the metal received its name.
The first metal on which any real smelling
operations were practiced was copper, for
Jumps Of copper containing no traces of
gold have been. discovered, although the
copper ores Of the district contained gold,
and it is therefore probable that the ancient
people who worked these mines were ac-
quainted with the method Of separating gold
from copper Smelling was affected in
4 small furnaces made of red brick. Gmelin
found nearly a thousand such furnaces in
sthe eastern part Of Siberia. The height and
breadth Of these were each about two feet,
and the lenght three. They were furnished
with holes in two Of their opposite sides,
\ the one for the introduction Of blasts, and
! the other for the escape Of the slags and
8S metal. In the neigh borhood of the furnaces
were found large quantities Of broken pot
tory, together with numerous heaps Of
scoria, which indicate that operations Of 9
very considerable extent had at some period
B been carried on in that locality.
In gulb S6uo OlsGIlcb tuo IS4ldAnn VI Au1e
naces have been found which were employed
Tor the extraction Of silver. Lead was found
in the scoriia while the whole Of the silver
Fas extracted. BY what means this was
effected We do not know although il pro-
! baby Was some form Of cnpellation.
.s in and lead were both used by tho
4 sIsicients bnt the two metals were confused
\ the one being often mistaken for the other.
\ Flinyl regarded them as two varieties OF the
/ sannes metal calling them respectively white
y ana black lead That the white variety was
there i 40 doubt, il being represented
~ AfsIlrina among sand ii the dried beds Of