The mirror., 1921-12-15
ONE WAY TO GET GOLD
Continued from page I


In other words it is reduced to a powder
as fine as -four. One ounce of this pow
dered ORE quantity known as an assay
ton, is then mixed with Auxes and lead
and smelted, afterwards the metals are
separated and weighed and thus the gold
values in a ton of ore computed.
To give you a complete account of as
saying would require so much space and
time that it would make an article in
itself. However, in passing through it
hurriedly, l will state that the scales used
in weighing the button obtained by the
ASSAY, is so sensitive that if you were to
take two pieces of paper that balanced each
other perfectly, and then took your lead
pencil and made dot on one of them,
the lead deposited by your pencil would
turn the balance.
After an assay has been made the metal
lurgist makes chemical analysis OF the
ore in order to determine the silica and
other contents, so that the proper charge
can be made when the ore is put into the
blast furnace to be smelted. In case you
do not know what is meant by "a charge"
l will state that it is certain and specific
amount of silica, lime stone, sulphide and
coke, that when smelted, becomes fluid
mass and flows like water. When it is in
fluid state, the furnace is tapped and the
contents run into forehearth. The metal
being the heavier goes to the bottom OF
the forehearth, and the gangue rises to
the top and flows off as Stag. The fore
hearth is then tapped and the metal
drawn off in ladies. This product is
known as matte" In our smelter we
were making an "iron matte" due to the
character of ore we were treating. In
this matte were combined all of the metals
contained in the ore, gold, silver and iron.
After the matte had cooled, it was broken
up preparatory to the next step to be taken
in the process
l wish to call your attention to the fact
that as a result of smelling the ore in blast
furnace number one, we made separation
of the metalics and the gangue. Now
will take you to blast furnace number
two, and YOU will see how we start in to
separate the metalics. In order to do this
we add another metal to the charge used
in smelling the matte. Rather paradox
cal statement to say we add another metal
when we want to subtract (separate) one
metal from another. But we do; we put
lead into this furnace as it has an affinity
for gold and silver. Gathers them unto
itself, so to speak. When this charge is
drawn, the lead being the heavier is pre-
cipitated to the bottom of the forehearth
and then the forehearth is tapped and the
lead drawn off in the same manner as the
matte was drawn off in the first operation
The lead is the fellow we are after as he
has our gold and silver. No doubt you
are wondering how we are going to make
him give it up; but follow me and | will
show you.
Here we are at furnace number three
but you see, this is an entirely different
type of furnace. 1t is cupeling furnace
sort of two-story affair with concav'
floor in the second story. The lower story
is the fuel chamber. While we use ;
blast with this furnace, still we do not us'
it in the same manner as we did in tn
other two furnaces. But let me explain
The lead bullion is placed on the floor O
the upper chamber and when it is in
molten state, blast is directed across tn
top of the molten metal, with the resul
that the lead is blown off in the form o
'white litharge." After the lead is blow
off, we have the gold and silver left, bu
still in combination. Uncle Sam will tax
all the gold you will send him provided
it runs 500 fine. AS there was more silve