1by agitation; when taken out they are broken up with a
square iron mallet,
and then they are re-melted with the fine tin-stone next smelted. There
are some who crush the slags three times under wet stamps and re-melt them
three times; if a large quantity of this be smelted while still wet, little
tin is melted from it, because the slag, soon melted again, flows from the
furnace into the forehearth. Under the wet stamps are also crushed the
lute and broken rock with which such furnaces are lined, and also the
accretions, which often contain fine tin-stone, either not melted or half
melted, and also prills of tin. The tin-stone not yet melted runs out
through the screen into a trough, and is washed in the same way as tin
stone, while the partly melted and the prills of tin are taken from the mortar
box and washed in the sieve on which not very minute particles remain, and
thence to the canvas strake. The soot which adheres to that part of the
chimney which emits the smoke, also often contains very fine tin-stone which
flies from the furnace with the fumes, and this is washed in the strake which
I have just mentioned, and in other sluices. The prills of tin and the partly
melted tin-stone that are contained in the lute and broken rock with which
the furnace is lined, and in the remnants of the tin from the forehearth and
the dipping-pot, are smelted together with the tin-stone.
and then they are re-melted with the fine tin-stone next smelted. There
are some who crush the slags three times under wet stamps and re-melt them
three times; if a large quantity of this be smelted while still wet, little
tin is melted from it, because the slag, soon melted again, flows from the
furnace into the forehearth. Under the wet stamps are also crushed the
lute and broken rock with which such furnaces are lined, and also the
accretions, which often contain fine tin-stone, either not melted or half
melted, and also prills of tin. The tin-stone not yet melted runs out
through the screen into a trough, and is washed in the same way as tin
stone, while the partly melted and the prills of tin are taken from the mortar
box and washed in the sieve on which not very minute particles remain, and
thence to the canvas strake. The soot which adheres to that part of the
chimney which emits the smoke, also often contains very fine tin-stone which
flies from the furnace with the fumes, and this is washed in the strake which
I have just mentioned, and in other sluices. The prills of tin and the partly
melted tin-stone that are contained in the lute and broken rock with which
the furnace is lined, and in the remnants of the tin from the forehearth and
the dipping-pot, are smelted together with the tin-stone.
When tin-stone has been smelted for three days and as many nights in a
furnace prepared as I have said above, some little particles of the rock from
which the furnace is constructed become loosened by the fire and fall down;
and then the bellows being taken away, the furnace is broken through at the
back, and the accretions are first chipped off with hammers, and afterward
the whole of the interior of the furnace is re-fitted with the prepared sand
stone, and again evenly lined with lute. The sandstone placed on the bed
of the furnace, if it has become faulty, is taken out, and another is laid down
in its place; those rocks which are too large the smelter chips off and fits
with a sharp pick.
furnace prepared as I have said above, some little particles of the rock from
which the furnace is constructed become loosened by the fire and fall down;
and then the bellows being taken away, the furnace is broken through at the
back, and the accretions are first chipped off with hammers, and afterward
the whole of the interior of the furnace is re-fitted with the prepared sand
stone, and again evenly lined with lute. The sandstone placed on the bed
of the furnace, if it has become faulty, is taken out, and another is laid down
in its place; those rocks which are too large the smelter chips off and fits
with a sharp pick.
Some build two furnaces against the wall just like those I have described,
and above them build a vaulted ceiling supported by the wall and by four
pillars. Through holes in the vaulted ceiling the fumes from the furnaces
ascend into a dust chamber, similar to the one described before, except that
there is a window on each side and there is no door. The smelters, when
they have to clear away the flue-dust, mount by the steps at the side of the
furnaces, and climb by ladders into the dust chamber through the apertures
in the vaulted ceilings over the furnaces. They then remove the flue-dust
from everywhere and collect it in baskets, which are passed from one to the
other and emptied. This dust chamber differs from the other described, in
the fact that the chimneys, of which it has two, are not dissimilar to those
of a house; they receive the fumes which, being unable to escape through the
upper part of the chamber, are turned back and re-ascend and release the
tin; thus the tin set free by the fire and turned to ash, and the little tin
stones which fly up with the fumes, remain in the dust chamber or else adhere
to copper plates in the chimney.
and above them build a vaulted ceiling supported by the wall and by four
pillars. Through holes in the vaulted ceiling the fumes from the furnaces
ascend into a dust chamber, similar to the one described before, except that
there is a window on each side and there is no door. The smelters, when
they have to clear away the flue-dust, mount by the steps at the side of the
furnaces, and climb by ladders into the dust chamber through the apertures
in the vaulted ceilings over the furnaces. They then remove the flue-dust
from everywhere and collect it in baskets, which are passed from one to the
other and emptied. This dust chamber differs from the other described, in
the fact that the chimneys, of which it has two, are not dissimilar to those
of a house; they receive the fumes which, being unable to escape through the
upper part of the chamber, are turned back and re-ascend and release the
tin; thus the tin set free by the fire and turned to ash, and the little tin
stones which fly up with the fumes, remain in the dust chamber or else adhere
to copper plates in the chimney.
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