Scientific Fntelligence. © 
At Regla the powdered ore is also placed in a circular stone trough, 
in the centre of which a vertical shaft turns, with two horizontal arms, 
whose extremities have each a block of basalt attached by chains, 
which, in the ronstyemotion, is dragged round, grinding against the bot- 
tom and sides of the trough, and by which action, the wet ore is re- 
duced to its finest ste At this stage of the process there are different 
methods for extracting the silver, depending on the richness of the ore, 
its constiturion, and the fact that modern improvements are as yet 
but partially adopted, 
First method.- The wet powdered ore (orschlich)-is mixed rapper 
with a certain proportion ‘of Cominon salt; (c hlorid of sodium,) the 
amount depending upon the kind of ore, and the quantity of rey ere 
&c. with which the’silver is mineralized ; the mass is then sprea 
on the floor of a reverberatory furnace, and there kept in a red hot state 
for about six’hours. By this means, a portion of the sulphur is driven 
off in the form of sulphurous acid gas, whilst the remainder unites with 
is then mixed with salt and water, placed. in revolving: barrels, 
with .pieces f iron and a quantity of merotirysaboitt two hundred 
— in fifteen hundred pounds of 't mass ; at the end of about 
has waite with the iron, and the’silver this refund is with the me reury 
This amalgam of silver is then washed free from the other eye 
pressed in close canvas bags, which thus remove the supera it 
mercury ; the semi-solid ‘mass: is then moulded in iron ‘rat eel 
and distilled in an sien vessel, which separates the mercury and the 
silver remains pur 
In this’ srdeesa, White is employed for the poorer ores,—about four 
ounces of ‘tmereury a re lost® in obtaining eight ounces of silver ; this loss 
arises principally fromthe oxydation of the sulphur, &c., which being. 
converted thus into acids combifie with the mercury, And the resulting 
stilts are carried off in the washings. 
method. “Phe wet powdered ore is intimately mixed with 
common salt and piéces of copper, or the protochlorid or sulphate of 
. a quantity of mercury ; the wet mass is spread out on a 
floor o boatde } in the open air, about six or eight inches in thickness, 
and mules are occasionally driven over it, for the purpose of thoroughly 
mixing the ingredients as the chemical action proceeds. 
In riot less than twenty days, the process is completed, when it is 
found, that by the action of the air and moisture, the sulphur has been 
wih the at the expense of both, and the hydrogen of the water uniting 
he chlorine of the copper or sodium, has formed hydrochloric 
and any portions of chlorid of silver, formed in the process, are 
reduced to the metallic state by the copper. The whole is then well 
d, when nothing remains but an amalgam of silver with the ae 
eT. : 
‘The ee the oes oad bbe 
of the m ~ hi 
he loss of 1 
ction of the silver 
Ache ee 
