Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-25

width approximately twice its depth
and length about twice Its width. In
to this receptacle the melter pours the
contents Of the crucible. The metal
sinks to the bottom, and the Stag, as
the fiux Is known after It has passed
through the process, rises to the top.
After the metal and Stag have solidified
the mold is overturned, the Stag sep
arated from the bar, the bar clean
ed and weighed. In order that the de-
positor may receive pay for every bit Of
gold which properly belongs to him,
the inside Of the crucibie is scraped
clean and the Stag treated by being
F, crushed to powder and panned I'm a
miners gold pan. The problem of the
melter, then, It will be seen, is to add
the proper flux, to see that the furnace
produces the high heat which is neces-
sary In order to successfully melt the
charge, to have its crucibles In such
shape that they will not break In the
furnace when subjected to the high
heat and to dexterousiy pour the bull
Ion into the mold and recover the VAL
ues from the Stag.
The weight Of the granules which
have been recovered from the Stag is
added to the weight Of the bar, and
this amount is the weight OF bullion
for which the depositor 10 paid. Il is
then the assayer's business to deter
mine the proportions Of gold. silver
and base metal In the bar. These pro-
portions are reported to thousandths.
He obtains sample by means Of
special clipping machine designed for
the purpose.
A complicated chemical process is
necessary to determine the fneness Of
this sample. It cannot be described In
detail here. Suffice 1t to say that the
process is based upon the fact that
from an alloy Of gold and silver in
which silver predominates In the ratio
of about three oone. It is possible to
dissolve the silver by nitric acid, leay-
ing the pure gold behind. To weigh
ed portion Of It the bullion is added an
amount Of silver which will bring the
proportion up to three to one. II 1t is
rich in gold, or, II 1t is rich in silver,
sufficient gold to bring 1t up to the
same proportion. This sample weighs
one thousand gold weight, or one half
gramme; very nearly seven and seven
Ptenths grains. It is rolled up within
piece Of pure lead foil weighing about
two grammes. An exact duplicate Of
this Is made, as are also two similar
samples from the opposite side Of the
bar. Two other samples are prepared
of weighed amount Of absolutely
pure, or proof" gold, and silver, called
the proof samples. A fourth set OF
samples is made from one thousand
gold weight of the bullion, which is
likewise incased In lead.
These samples are then placed In Gu
pels, In furnace which has been heat
ed to bright red. A cupel is small
dish, a little more than an inch In d.
ameter. made Of boneash, and boneash
Is pulverized calcined animal bones. A
cupeI has the property Of absorbing
oxides Of lead and other base metals
when these oxides are formed during
cupellation. What occurs In the fur-
mace is practically this: The lead and
other metals melt, and as the air
passes over this molten mass the lead
and base metals oxidize rather rapidly.
A portion of these oxides are absorb
ed by the cupel and other portions pass
Off in the form Of vapor. The final re-
suit of the process Is q globule Oh goid
and silver. The first three sets OF
samples (tne top, bottom and proofs)
which contain the proper proportion OF
gold and silver for parting, as the nj
tric acid treatment Is known are
rolled out thin and placed In small
CUPS of platinum. These cups At neat
ly into a basket Of the same material
and the whole is then suspended In
platinum cup containing boiling nitric
acid which dissolves the silver, leaving
pure gold in the cup. This Is very
carefully dried at low heat, placed IN
the furnace to be momentarily heated
to a cherry red, removing the last
nossibla trace of moisture and weighed
ON the scales upon which the samples
were originally prepared. This weight
shows the amount Of gold in the bull
lion. after making the necessary cor
rections indicated by the proof sam
ples, gain or loss during the process.
The fourth set Of samples. which after
cupellation are globules composed OF
gold and silver, the base metal having
been driven off during the cupellation'
are weighed without any further pre-
liminaries. Their loss in weight IN
dicates the amount Of base metai
which was in the bullion. Having de-
termined gold and base metal, the dir-
ference is reckoned as silver.
The assayer having completed MS
work, reports the fineness OF the par
and the clerical force gets busy on the
calculation of its value. Knowing the
weight of the bar and the proportions
of gold and silver 1t Is g. mere matter
of figures to arrive at its value. This
done, you are given either a check or
United States coin upon surrendering
the receipt which was given you when
you deposited your bullion.-Scientihc
American.
Queer Checks.-There Is bank
clerk in a western city who has for