46 Blowpipe Outfit. 
cury and hot water, agitate for a few minutes, then pour 
off the contents, except the mercury and amalgam, 
which is washed several times with water. The contents 
of the flask is now washed into the gold pan and the 
mercury and amalgam cleaned by further panning. Now 
strain off the mercury through a piece of tight buck- 
skin. The amalgam caught in the buckskin is collected 
and placed into a small porcelain crucible, the crucible 
is heated gradually at first, then to redness after the 
mercury is driven off. The contents of the crucible, 
after cooling, is wrapped in a piece of sheet lead and 
cupelled. The resulting button indicating the value in 
fifty tons of ore is treated as in the regular assay of gold 
and silver ores. Having assayed the ore before treat- 
ment, the difference between the first and this last as- - 
say is equal to the loss in treatment. 
BLOWPIPE ANALYSIS OF MINERALS. 
BLOWPIPE OUTFIT. 
By this method of tests the composition 
of minerals are indicated by certain colors, etc., 
exhibited when heated alone and in the presence of cer- 
tain regents. In order to successfully conduct such tests 
the following outfit at least is required: 
‘First. The Blowpipe. Plattner’s is the best, the 
jeweler’s or cheaper variety will do where a great num- 
ber of tests are not to be made. 
Second. One alcohol lamp with a tightly-fitting 
top to prevent leakage when in field use. 
Fourth. A small amount of platinum wire, one 
piece short and another thick, the short piece to be used 
for stirring the assay, the longer and thinner piece for 
making the bead tests. 
**Economic Mineralogy,” by Prof. B. Sadtler. 
