description of the softer kind of cinnabar has been discovered, 
which, so far as hitherto explored, has a linear extent of at least 
70 or 80 feet, and in point of richness has never been surpassed 
by any similar discovery in the past history of the mine. 
charge of 101,000 pounds, of which 70,000 were composed of 
: The small ores and dirt hoisted from the mine are made into 
_ adobes,” or sun-dried bricks, sufficient clay for the purpose be- 
ing associated with the ore. The object of these “ adobes” is to 
uild up the mouths of the furnaces to sustain the load of richer 
ores. No flux is employed, there being sufficient lime associa- 
ted with the ores to aid the decomposition of the sulphurets. 
furnaces are built-entirely of brick, in dimensions capable 
The 
of holding from 60,000 to 110,000 pounds, according to the 
character of the ores employed. The chambers are fired from a 
teral furnace, fed with wood, and separated from the ore by a 
wall pierced with numerous openings by the omission of bricks 
for that purpose 
opal metal and turn them inward. To 
ace are discharged. Formerly, no precautions were taken 
to prevent the escape of mercury through the foundations of the 
furnace to the earth beneath: now, the furnaces stand upon 
the foundations, so as to cut off entirely all descending particles 
of the ig tanthag , be convinced of the 
importance of this precaution, it is sufficient to watch the opera- 
Hon of the furnace for a few moments, when an intermittent 
Ast, Jour. Scr—Szconp Szrms, Vou. XXXVIII, No. 113.—Szpr., 1964. 
