Agricola, Georgius
,
De re metallica
,
1912/1950
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[Figure 312]
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axle, one end of which is mortised into the large horizontal axle, and the
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other end is held in a hollow covered with thick iron plates in a beam. </
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>Thus
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the paddles, of which there are three sets in each tub, turn round, and
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agitating the powder, thoroughly mix it with water and separate the minute
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particles of gold from it, and these are attracted by the quicksilver and
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purified. </
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>The water carries away the waste. </
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>The quicksilver is poured
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into a bag made of leather or cloth woven from cotton, and when this bag is
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squeezed, as I have described elsewhere, the quicksilver drips through it into
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a jar placed underneath. </
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<
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>The pure gold
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13
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remains in the bag. </
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>Some people
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substitute three broad sluices for the tubs, each of which has an angular axle
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on which are set six narrow spokes, and to them are fixed the same number of
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broad paddles; the water that is poured in strikes these paddles and turns
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them round, and they agitate the powder which is mixed with the water and
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separate the metal from it. </
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>If the powder which is being treated contains
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gold particles, the first method of washing is far superior, because the quickÂ
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silver in the tubs immediately attracts the gold; if it is powder in which
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are the small black stones from which tin is smelted, this latter method is
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not to be despised. </
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>It is very advantageous to place interlaced fir boughs
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in the sluices in which such tin-stuff is washed, after it has run through the
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launders from the mills, because the fine tin-stone is either held back by the
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twigs, or if the current carries them along they fall away from the water
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and settle down.</
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