162 SILVER-LEAD DEPOSITS OF EUREKA, NEVADA. 



Fuel. — The fuel used in smelting is charcoal made from the pinon pine. 

 The coal produced from this wood is usually very good, and in this district 

 it is of an exceptionally fine quality, the method by which it is manufact- 

 ured having been brought nearly to perfection. Nearly all the coal-burners 

 are Italians who have been attracted to this country by the opportunities 

 offered for this particular class of labor. About 30 bushels of coal are 

 required per ton of ore smelted, and the present cost is 30 cents per bushel. 



Refining. — The lead from the smelting of Richmond ore does not usually 

 require calcining. Hard lead is refined in large rectangular cast-iron pans, 

 which will hold about 14 tons. The time required for softening is from two 

 to four days, according to the quality of the lead. 



pattinsonizing. — The process used in concentrating the silver in the lead is 

 the Luce & Rozan process, a modification of the Pattinson method, and is 

 carried on as follows : The principal portions of the apparatus employed are 

 two melting pots, one comparatively large crystallizing pot on a lower level, 

 two receivers or molds below the crystallizing pot, and a crane to handle 

 the cakes of lead after they have solidified in the molds. The upper pots 

 are provided with covers and the lower one with a hood and pipe to 

 carry off the steam and fumes. There is a pipe by which water is let into 

 the crystallizer above, and one for admitting steam into it below. The 

 steam valve consists of a horizontal pipe which penetrates to the center 

 of the pot, and within this pipe there is a rod with a button on the end 

 which enters the pot. On screwing the rod in, the button is. removed 

 from the end of the pipe and steam is forced into the melted lead through 

 which it is distributed, by means of a perforated false bottom, through- 

 out the whole mass. The receiver or molds on each side of the crys- 

 tallizer hold 7,400 pounds of lead. When the lead is drawn off into 

 these molds an "eye" is introduced into the melted mass before it cools. 

 In removing these cakes the hook of the crane chain is inserted in the eye, 

 and by means of the steam hoist attached to the crane they are removed 

 from the molds. When either market or rich lead is drawn from the crystal- 

 lizer, molds on two wheels and a peg are placed in a semi-circle around the 

 discharge pipe and filled by a movable spout. The cakes are hoisted and 

 placed in the melting pots by the crane. It is unnecessary to enter into a 



