Account of the Gold and Silver Mines of Hungary. 21 
the lead holding the silver and gold remains in the bed nearly 
free from any alloy of copper. What little still remains is after- 
wards separated, by submitting the metallic mass to a heat suffi- 
ecient to melt the lead, but leave the copper. The ingots are 
then removed to the silver furnances, of wliich there are three ; 
one at Schemnitz, one at Schernovitz, and one at Neusohl ; each 
ingot having been previously most acvirately assayed, This is 
likewise done in respect to each parcel of the rich ores which are 
sent raw to either of these silver works. 
The slags which have been removed from the surface of the 
lead in these processes are often very rich in copper, some can- 
taining as much as 100 loths in a centwer. They are all res 
moved to the copper works at Altgebirg near Neusohl, to be re- 
fined. 
These being the whole of the operations which are conducted 
at 3 tea Coal neither pure silver nor gold ever makes its ap- 
pearance there, except in the small quantities produced in the 
laboratory from the assays, 
The footing upon which the mining school or college of 
Schemnitz is conducted is very liberal. It is a Royal founda- 
tion ; and every one who has first obtained permission from the 
Board of Mines at Vienna, which I believe is never refused, may 
have the full benefit of all the lectures, and all the practical 
knowledge which these extensive mines are calculated to afford. 
The complete course of study occupies three years; and those 
who wish to obtain certificates, such as are required to entitle 
them to seek for employment as officers of the mines, must go ° 
through regular and severe examinations. The lectures are 
on chemistry, mineralogy, mathematics 2 mechautes, and other 
branches of natural philosophy—drawing of plans, maps, and 
machinery, &c.; also on botany, and the knowledge connected 
with the cultivation and preservation of forests, and the conver- 
sion and application of timber—a science which the Germans 
eall forstwissenschaft, and which is of great importance in these 
countries, which depend upon their forests for fuel; and more 
especially in mining districts, where so much valuable timber is 
necessarily consumed in the construction of machines and mine- 
shafts, and in the support and preservation of galleries and com- 
munications under ground. ‘The students have, besides, the free 
use of the laboratory, aud constant access to every thing which 
is going on in the mines, and in the various works connected with 
them, and with the preparation and smelting of the ores. They 
have likewise permission to form collections of minerals to any 
extent for their own use; but they are prohibited, under the pain 
of expulsion, from extracting oe and applyi ing the pro- 
B duce 
