Observations on Lead Ores. 175 



In order to extricate from it, a striking quantity of silver, 

 it is not even necessarj^ to reduce the sulphuret of lead to 

 ihe metallic state. It is sufficient merely to lay some frag- 

 ments of the lead ore upon a cupel, and to place this upon 

 a fragment of a brick in the forge fire. This simple method 

 of operating We learned from the proprietor, Mr. Lane, and 

 repeated the experiment with entire success. The cupel is sur- 

 rounded by ignited charcoal, and some pieces of burning coal 

 are laid in an arched form, over the cupel, so as to preserve, 

 at once, a good red heat, and to admit of the access of air. 

 The forge bellows are very gently blowai by an assistant, 

 and, at the same time, a blast of uncontaminated air, from 

 common hand bollows, is thrown upon the lead ore, in such 

 regulated quantity, as to oxidize the lead, without cooling 

 it too much, and the sulphur is in the mean time dissipated. 



By proceeding in this manner, we obtained in a short 

 time, tioo "per cent, of good silver, estimated in relation to 

 the metallic lead contained in the ore. 



In another operation, after previously reducing the ore to 

 the metallic state, and proceeding in exactly the same man- 

 ner, we obtained three and a half per cent, of good malleable 

 silver. 



There is no reason to believe that these processes were 

 conducted v/ith more accuracy, than is attainable in the 

 large way, and we are therefore justified in concluding, that 

 Mr. Lane's lead ore is rich in silver, and is worthy of being 

 explored for that object. 



tt was our intention to have given the result upon this 

 ore in the humid way, and we had obtained the nitric solu- 

 tion, and, by the aid of common salt, precipitated both the 

 lead and the silver in the form of muriat ; the muriat of 

 lead was then dissolved in boiling water, and the muriat of 

 silver obtained upon a filter. But as we have not found leis- 

 ure to complete the process ; it must be reserved for an- 

 other occasion. We think however that there can be no 

 mistake in admitting that the lead in this ore contains one- 

 thirtieth of silver,* and is therefore one of the richest ar- 

 gentiferous galenas. ^ 



We have been called upon to examine another lead ore, 

 from Bethlem in Connecticut, about thirty miles N. W. 

 from New-Haven. 



* Mr. Lane's ore is accompanied by siilphat of lead, e? nn rnrrnr-tntiori . 

 according to i^im Ihi? is equally y\v\\ in silvp:- 



