Volume 28 (1874) (430 pages)

122 MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [February 21, 1874. Antimony Mining and Smelting in Canada. By Anriun F. Went, E. M., in London Afining Journal. Antimony wes discovered in York county, New Brunswick, abont the year 1863. The ore occurs in tbe Lower Silurien slates, in a low ridge running neerly southeest end northwest. Two miles east of the mines the slate abuts against the junction of the granite area, anda smell and shallow outlier of the Cerhoniferous eystem. The granite underlies the slates, * which ‘in turn seem to underlie the conglomerates and coarse sandstones of the Carboniferous. The ore is stihnite, and ocours in segregated veins with distinct clay selvages, conformable with the general stratification of the sountry; the strike is ahout north 55° eaot, and the dip varies from 30°. to 50°. The gangue consiets of oompaot white quartz or a hluish slate, highly charged with numerous small erystels of iron pyrites. Iu addition a comhy quartz and white and grey celcite have heen found es vein-stone in two of the minss. The walls of the veins are very irregular, yet well defined, the hauging wall often showing signs of slicken-sides, . In width the veiu varies considerably, ranging from a few inches to six feet, thus forming a series of pockets, often conneoted only hy berren vein-stone. Of three mines opened on differeut veins only one is at present in active operation. : Mining is Conducted By the system of long wall stoping, the vein heving been uncovered, and stoping hegnn for nearly 200 feet. . The ore, as delivered to the spalling floors, contains an average of 10 per, cent. of stihnite. Besides the millore and sterile meterial, some No. 1 ore, fit forthe emelting works, is ohtained in this operetion. The mill oreia fed hy hand into a Blake’s crusher, whioh delivers the crushed ore to a peir of primitive rolis. Their diameter and width is 15in., and their surface is formed of three wrought-iron hends shrunk on tbe cest-iron ‘core of the rolls. The second roll revolves hy friction, and is kept,in contact with the first by a weight, acting through a combination of levers. The natural result of this disposition is an unnecessatily lerge production of fine ore, and since the gengue is harder then the ore, an enrichment of the finely crushed grades at the expsnse of the coarse ore, and a consequent large proportion of loss, Concentration 5 Wes formerly effected hy a Krom air-jig, but this method hes heen sbandoned ag unsatisfactory. As tho merite of this machine heve letely been the subject of a lively discussion amongst members of the mining profession, it mey not he out of place to stete some results obtaincd hy its nse, and their comparison with wetconcentration. Iwish the reader to hear in mind that I was unacquainted with the machine, except by the descriptiou given in Mr, Krom’s pamphlet, and that I believe hetter results could heve been ohtained if the greding of the ore had been more perfect and the mill a trifle less shaky, The ore was graded by wire-cloth sieves of 8, 25 and 60 mashes to the inch; all material not passing through the coarsest sieve was continually returned to the rolls by an elevator. The grade of orehetween 25 and G0 in, gave the best results, and contained hy assay 12.15 per cent of metallio antimony. ‘The ore was passed through the maehine three times, and the rich stuff then assayed 30.62 per cent. of entimony. The tailings of the two lust concentrations were rejigged and the product added to the original ore, The total tailings thereupon assayed 3.25 percent, of antimony. The product of the mechine varied from 400 to 600 pounds per day, and required the attendence of one man. This result is certainly not very hrillient, hut it was the evideut inahility of the jig to deal with the fine ore passed throngh the 60-mesh sieve that finally condemned it in the eyes of the company. <A simple form of water concentration was thenresorted to. The crushed ore is fed, without previous sizing, into an inclined sluice. Atite bottom a rectangular hox, the trunk box, receives the washed ore; the sludge and slime is carried off hy the water and deposited in @ number of large tubs, The weshed ore is immediately jigged in a 22 by 36 in. eieve, hung ina large hox of water, aud supported by a lever, the loug arm of which is set in motion by a cam on a lineshaft. The sieves receive 110 strokes per minute. Their bottoms are made of stout arallel wires, on which rest the hedding of coarse lumps of stihnite. Iu four or five minutes the ore is jigged, the sieve raised out of the water, the tailings scraped off by the workman, and finally three or four shovels full of fresh ore added. Previons to every third or fourth addition the chats, a layer of etibniteand gangue in the same pieces, are scraped off, rerolledand jigged. _Thesuperfluous bedding, which is fit tor smelting, is also oceasionallyremoved. When the jig boxisfull of ove the water is drained out and the ore again tranked and jigged. Tho original ore assayed 7.31 per cent. of antimony, the firet concentration enriched it to 21.8 per ceut., the second to 29.75, and the third to 66.35 per cent. of metel. The ohats assayed 4.57 per cent. and the tailings .99 per cent. The reeult of 23 days’ work of ono jig was 2,347 ponnds sieve ore (hedding), and 4,220 pounds jigged ore, or at the rate of 285 ponnds aday. The ore contains hy aualysis 12.7 per cent. of moisture, hence one jig nroduces 250 pounds dry 60 per cent. ore in 10 houre. Since one man can readily tend two jigs, ho will produce as much concentrated ore of a higher yicld as with a Krom concentrator, and will achieve this end from poorer ore, with a smaller loss and with cheaper machinery. The reeults obtained by Mr. Krom’s machine could.no douht he greetly improved, hut I do not helieve it will ever be able to seperate ore and rock as completely or cheeply asa plungerjig, nor do, Ihelieve thatin any form of dry concentration,iron pyrites of 4.9 sp. gr. can be separated from stihuite of 4.7.sp. gr., which reeult I haye obtained on a Rittinger’s continu. ous sbaking table. Numerous mines are so situated as to meke wet concentretion an impossibility; to these the air coucentretor will be a boon that can uot he too highly prized, and its inventor and his labors to perfect his maohine deserve the warmest approbetiou, The Smelting is Accomplished . By the roasting and reduction process, entirely similar to the method adopted by the Septémes Works in France, in 1855, The only novel point is the improvement introduced by the writcr in refiuing end smeitiug the metal in one operation. The concentrated ore is roasted in a reverheratory 40 ft. long and 9 ft. wide. The hight in the center is 18 in., the arch having 6 in, spriug. The fire-plece is 2 ft. wide, and 10 doors are ranged diogonally opposite on the two sides of the furnace. ~ The fire-bridge is 6 in. high and 12 in. wide, and the flue and stack 12x16 in. interior dimension. The furnace holds five charges; three of 6(0 ibs. of wet ore heing introduced and drawn every 24 hours. The ore, thercfore, remains 40 hours in the furnace, and is heeted nearly to fusion for two hours previous to drawing. To prevent its egglomeration ths ore is rahhled every five toten minutes. The loss of metal by roasting is 7.5 per cent., which is volatilized as sulphide of antimony, as, with proper working, the heatis not high enough to oxidize the fume. This operation produces a dull greyish-yellow mixture of oxide, containing a ‘variahle amount of oxisulphide of antimony. The consumption of fuel is only 34 cord of wood iu 24 hours. ‘ The Smelting Furnace Is a smell reverheratory, connected with a number of dnst chambers for collecting the volatalized and oxidised metel. The crucible of the furnace is lined with fire-clay, and is 5 tect diemeter and 18in. deep. The fire-hridge is 16 in. wide, the throet 18 hy 24 in., and the grate 2 feet wide. Ahout % cord of wood is hurned to each charge. The flux nsedinsmelting is » crude sulphate of soda in the form of eelt cakes, and tbe charge nsuelly employed consists of 500 tbs. of roasted ore, 100 iba. selt cake, and 75 ibs. hard wood charcoal, all ina coerse powder. The ore is mixed with 75 ibs. of charcoul and spread eveuly in the red-hot furnace, it is then covered by a mixture of selt cake and the rest of the charcoal. The fire is immediately nrged, and soon a violent reaction between the salt cake aud chercoal sets in, carbonete of soda is formed, end sulphurous ecid and carbonic oxide liberated. A fused layer is thus formed, whish protects the rednced metal end fluxes the silicic acid of the gangue as well as helping in the reduction. In about four hours the furnece is at a bright red heat, epproachiug whiteness, and the whole mess is in fusion and active ebullitiou, the cerhonio oxide penetreting the layer of slag and burning with a green flame: The charge is now repeatedly well stirred, until it is iu quiet fusiou, at which poiutit is kept for half an hour, to allow ell the metel to settle. The fire is then let down and the doors placed ajar till the surface of tbe slag is at a dull red heat, and has become thick end pasty. It can then be drawn out of the fnrnace with a peir of prongs, or arake. Immediately on its removal the refining eleg, a mixture of 25 ibs. salt cake and 10 ibs. chercoal, is thrown on the metal, and the fire egain strongly urged. Cerbonate and sulphide of soda are produced, which su!phuvize and scorify the impurities in the metal. In 1% hour the slag isin quiet fnsion end must be perfectly liquid, running like water, The metal is immedietely ledled into iron dishes holding 25 ibs., cere heing taken to dip enough slag to cover it about % in. thick, and not to let the antimouy solidify in the dish until the latter is full. The slag ought to ree main eoft after the metal is solidified, and must not be hroken off till perfectly cold. The metal obtained by this process is nearly chemically pure, and to this it owes ite beautiful crystalline etructure or ster and its high price in the merket. : The Smelting Slag Hes a porphyritic appcarance and is mainly silicate of soda holding quartz and slato in suspension. The refining slag seems to be composed principally of a double sulphide of sodium and antimony, dissolved in, or mixed with, carbonate of soda. It contains 15 per cent. of antimouy, which is extracted hy smelting 500 Tbs. of slag with 100 Ibs. of iron. A slag is produced therefrom that contains only a trace of antimony. From experiments made with the smelting slag I am convinced that the antimony could be profitably extracted by smelting it with iron ore and coal in a low shaft furnace, as it was possible to reduce the metal in the metal in the reverbatory, but not to render the slag liquid enough to allow the antimony to eettle. The flue dust ohtained is a pure oxide of antimony and is smelted exactly like the ore. In conclusion, I may say that this method of smelting autimony is cheaper than any other known metbod; no crucible breakage has to be charged, nor is the quaniity of fuel or lahor nearly a3 large asin the old English crucible procese. With well, built furnaces the loss of metal nced not exceed 12 to 15 per cent., which amount is lost in crucihle smelting, and the metal prodnced is of a much snperior qnality. ' who are poor, Irish Mining Operations, . _, While so much is written relative to the mining operations in the various districts in England and Scotland, little is generally published in England of what takes plece in Iteland, where the works ere of equal importance and value to those of Great Britein. The question tion of how best to utilise the mineral resources of Ireland has long been a much-vexed one; and yet, when we review the varions reports just now to hand from the Irish collieriee and mines, we are ataloss to understand why it should he so. FE ‘From a few accounts of the workiug of the past yeer,we leern that during the last six months 1,302 tons of copper ore were raised at the Knockmahon mines, in the county of Weterford, as compared with 1,330 tons in the half-year previous. The loss upon the operations amonuted to £882 ds. 9d., after an expenditure of £734 on explorations at Kilduene and other royalties. The improved prospects of the Luganure lead mines’ have so far heen reelized, thet the operations heve resulted in +he raising of increased qnantities of ore. A new lode, the ‘‘Hero,’’ has heen proved to a depth of fifty fathoms, and another promising lode has heen discovered in the neighhorhood. In the lest six months the wiunings were 682 tons, as compared with 498 tons in the preceding six months, The quantity of leed ore delivered to the Ballycorus Smelting Works, Connty Dubliu, wes 676 tons, of the value of £1,455, the profit on which wes £921. The operations in the varions branches of leed ore smelting and lead manufacture et the Bellycorus works have resulted in a profit of £1,516, whilst in the smelting of silver ores there has heen a loss of £2,242. The new lease of the Slievordagh Collieries (Cork) having heen obteined, a pit is now heing snnk in connection with Coalhrook Colliery, which has already reached a considerable depth, and which will, it is calculated, he completed in abont a year. The output of coal and culm at the Slievordagh Collieries has amounted to 20,027 tons, agaiust 19,512 tons ia the corresponding six months of 1872. At the Dulkallow Collieries, the troublesome and expensive operation of unwatering and sécuring yentilation has been completed, and the usual raising of coal and culm has heen resumed. The quantity of coal and culm brought to hauk has reached 2,930 tons, which, thongh less than in the previcus half-year, is fairly demonstrative of the great value of these collieries. Taken as a whole, the reports from Ireland are satisfactory; and, should capital be brought to bear in the development of the mineral wealth it contains, a marked progress and hsneficiel resnlt would undoubtedly be the reward of the enterprise.—Jron. A Miner’s Views on Quicksilver Bills. A practical miner favors ns with his views on the hill lately introduced hy Mr. Gilman in the Assembly, as follows: Itis one that demands the attontion of the prodnccr es well as the consumer. Quicksilver is an article that men must have, no metter whet the price. Gilman’s bill proposss to regulate the price. Now I coutend that the only way and the only meens by which the price can be reguleted, is hy the co-operation of producer and consumer. But to show you the many ohstecles thrown in the wey of the miner, I will illustrate one ceseof my personel kuowledge—one in many thousands. Two miles from Cloverdale there is a ciunabar lode, called the ‘“‘Live Oak,’’ located last Septemher, end owned hy Messrs. Dougherty, Walker & Co. There is a shaft sunk 40 feet, 2 tunuel 55 feet to strike the ledge at a depth of 40 feet. A cross-cut has heen started, aud they ere now going through ore thet assays from one to two per cent. There are several mines iu this locality, where the prospect is equally as good as the “* Live Oak,’? hut owiug to the winter setting in, have not been prospected so well. The owners of this mine bave tried to effect asale. So far they have failed—and why? Because the ‘middlemen’? have formed a ring. The “middlemen’’ are ‘‘curbstone brokers ” that have no legitimate business, hut make money out of other peoples’ misfortunes, and it takes a miner with a small fortnne to do anything with them. They keep dilly-dallying along day after day, until tbe party selling the mine is either ‘‘hroke’’ or disgusted, when from sheer poverty he will sell at any price. The mine is then sold to the third party, or capitalist, the ‘‘ middlemen’? making all the mouey, while the prospector gets virtually uothing. Now I propose that mine owuers, mill men, and corporations generally, nsing quicksilver, aseist the cinnabar miners Buy thcir mines, erect suitahle works, and manufacture tleir own quicksilver. If they would adopt this plan they need not ask legislation on the subject. It is a universal fect that prospectors are always poor. If they were not, we would have no monopolies to dictate the price of quicksilver or any other product of the mines. ‘he Virginia City Chronicle advances a capital idea, that of a unity among prospectors—in faot a Grange—which should he endorsed hy all miners. Let them unite and form a genoral fund, and when necessary assist memhers nutil they have attained their object, provided it ig honorahle, in the sale of a mine, The Raymond. and Ely Mine. ; In a late issuethe Pioche Record epeaks of the Raymond & Ely mine as follows: Main shaft down 1,110 feet. The level running from the tenth stetion is 172 feet from the ninth etation; the work on the ledge is being done with whims, and has progreesed 45 feet in good.ore. The eighth level is heing run to the ledge, and is within 15 feet of it. The seventh level conteins splendid ore, which can be worked to much better advantage than any other, the metter heiug in a powdered state. Between the fifth and sixth levels no work is being done. Between the fourth and fifth levels a superior quelity of oreis being taken ont. The whole amount of ore extracted daily is from 70 to 80 tons, aud the working force is ahout 170 men. This mine is worked hetter than any other mine iu Nevada. The reilroad track runs under the oré house, so thet no lahor is required to loed the cere, a double track, turn-table, switches aud every facility for repid work heing provided. Shipments hy rail for the week were 855 tone of ore. The foregoing report mag furnished hy the forsman, Thomas AnTrews. The motive power of the Raymond & . Ely mine consists of two engines—one 19-inch . cylinder hy 24-inch stroke, which runs the cege in the west shaft; the other, lately erected, the east cege, a double-decker, weighing fifteen hundred pouuds—with complement of cers loeded six thousaud pounds, This heautiful piece of mechanism, displeying the mesterhand of genius in the design and erection, wae planned by Mr. Geo. E, Ames, and was constructed hy Booth & Co., of San Francisco. ,It is of 80-horse power, 20-inch cylinder and :36inch stroke, with halance valve in the brake,” aud every improvement thet steam enginesring of modern times suggests. The steam snpply is furnished hy two sets of hoilers, used alternetely, to allow cleaning and repairing without stopping the works, two 56 inches in diamete and two 48 inches in diameter, 16 feet long, and built at Marysville from design of Mr, Ames. — They are furnished with Richardson’s auto-. matic safety velves, out of control of engineers or firemen when set and supplied hy 2 Knowles’ steam pump, which can also be used in case of fire. There are 1,700 feet of wire cahle, with engine cepacity to sink 2,000 feet. Steam Pipes in Mines. o It is a freqnent arrangement now-2-deye, cays Tron, to conduct steam throngh long etretohes of pipes, lagged and unlegged. “This is especially the case iu the pfesent eystem of mine drainage where the engine and pump are comhined, and placed at the bottom of the mine close to the water. The steam is then frequently taken many thousend yards from hoilers ou the surfece to pumps underground. The ineviteble cundensation of some of the steam forms a considerahle accumulation of water in the pipes at tbe engine, which ceuses the cylinder to prime heevily, and it ie therefore very injurious unless removed. To effect this, a frequent method is to ‘place a water-cock in a receiver'at the lowest point in the line of piping. This cock is then left constantly open, the condensed water with a large volume of steam continuelly hlowing off to waste. To avoid this waste of steam a very ingenious French invention has heen idtroduced to pass off automatically all éondensing steam with the least possihle waste of lve steem. The appearance of the apparatus is that of a ball-valve oscillating on a trunnion in a cistern of water. The trunnion is hollow, with two passages. One admits the condensed water irom the pipes into the hall of the cock when in its highest position, The bell now heing filled with condensed water, sinks in the cistern, opening’a commmnication with the live steam into the hall, The live steam thus admitted empties the hall of its contained water, the hall again rises, and is once more filled with condensed water:from the pipes, end so on, Theactuel oscillations in practice are very small indeed, and the loss of steam not perceptihle. 8 Trench Miyne.—In conversetion with Mr, Bntsch, now in charge of the Trench mine, on White Pine Monntaiu, we learn that everything about the famous property is looking exceedingly well. Although the roads are in such condition as to render the shipment of ores impossible, work on the mine is being constantly pushed ahead, developing Isrge and rich liodiea of ore. Butsch says that every day’s work reveals more aud more palpably the fact of the property proving one of the most valuable in the district, and he is satiefied a 20-stamp mill can be run on the product. We learn that negotiatione are in progress having in view either a consolidation with the Monte Cristo mill, situate about two milee from the mine, or a lease of the eame. It has always appeared to us a nseless expenditure of many dollars in teking the ores from the Trench to Eureka, some forty miles distant, when a new 20-stamp mill stands idle at their very door, capahle of crushing rock with as good rosnlts ae oan be obtained elsewhere. It is earnestly to hé hoped that the coming spring will canse a change in the management of affaire ae regarde the working of the really valuable oree obtained in the Trench mine. Tom. Rohiueon, the euperintendent, is now helow, endeavoring to make arrangements for vigorous working the coming season.— White Pine News.

122 MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. [February 21, 1874. Antimony Mining and Smelting in Canada. By Anriun F. Went, E. M., in London Afining Journal. Antimony wes discovered in York county, New Brunswick, abont the year 1863. The ore occurs in tbe Lower Silurien slates, in a low ridge running neerly southeest end northwest. Two miles east of the mines the slate abuts against the junction of the granite area, anda smell and shallow outlier of the Cerhoniferous eystem. The granite underlies the slates, * which ‘in turn seem to underlie the conglomerates and coarse sandstones of the Carboniferous. The ore is stihnite, and ocours in segregated veins with distinct clay selvages, conformable with the general stratification of the sountry; the strike is ahout north 55° eaot, and the dip varies from 30°. to 50°. The gangue consiets of oompaot white quartz or a hluish slate, highly charged with numerous small erystels of iron pyrites. Iu addition a comhy quartz and white and grey celcite have heen found es vein-stone in two of the minss. The walls of the veins are very irregular, yet well defined, the hauging wall often showing signs of slicken-sides, . In width the veiu varies considerably, ranging from a few inches to six feet, thus forming a series of pockets, often conneoted only hy berren vein-stone. Of three mines opened on differeut veins only one is at present in active operation. : Mining is Conducted By the system of long wall stoping, the vein heving been uncovered, and stoping hegnn for nearly 200 feet. . The ore, as delivered to the spalling floors, contains an average of 10 per, cent. of stihnite. Besides the millore and sterile meterial, some No. 1 ore, fit forthe emelting works, is ohtained in this operetion. The mill oreia fed hy hand into a Blake’s crusher, whioh delivers the crushed ore to a peir of primitive rolis. Their diameter and width is 15in., and their surface is formed of three wrought-iron hends shrunk on tbe cest-iron ‘core of the rolls. The second roll revolves hy friction, and is kept,in contact with the first by a weight, acting through a combination of levers. The natural result of this disposition is an unnecessatily lerge production of fine ore, and since the gengue is harder then the ore, an enrichment of the finely crushed grades at the expsnse of the coarse ore, and a consequent large proportion of loss, Concentration 5 Wes formerly effected hy a Krom air-jig, but this method hes heen sbandoned ag unsatisfactory. As tho merite of this machine heve letely been the subject of a lively discussion amongst members of the mining profession, it mey not he out of place to stete some results obtaincd hy its nse, and their comparison with wetconcentration. Iwish the reader to hear in mind that I was unacquainted with the machine, except by the descriptiou given in Mr, Krom’s pamphlet, and that I believe hetter results could heve been ohtained if the greding of the ore had been more perfect and the mill a trifle less shaky, The ore was graded by wire-cloth sieves of 8, 25 and 60 mashes to the inch; all material not passing through the coarsest sieve was continually returned to the rolls by an elevator. The grade of orehetween 25 and G0 in, gave the best results, and contained hy assay 12.15 per cent of metallio antimony. ‘The ore was passed through the maehine three times, and the rich stuff then assayed 30.62 per cent. of entimony. The tailings of the two lust concentrations were rejigged and the product added to the original ore, The total tailings thereupon assayed 3.25 percent, of antimony. The product of the mechine varied from 400 to 600 pounds per day, and required the attendence of one man. This result is certainly not very hrillient, hut it was the evideut inahility of the jig to deal with the fine ore passed throngh the 60-mesh sieve that finally condemned it in the eyes of the company. <A simple form of water concentration was thenresorted to. The crushed ore is fed, without previous sizing, into an inclined sluice. Atite bottom a rectangular hox, the trunk box, receives the washed ore; the sludge and slime is carried off hy the water and deposited in @ number of large tubs, The weshed ore is immediately jigged in a 22 by 36 in. eieve, hung ina large hox of water, aud supported by a lever, the loug arm of which is set in motion by a cam on a lineshaft. The sieves receive 110 strokes per minute. Their bottoms are made of stout arallel wires, on which rest the hedding of coarse lumps of stihnite. Iu four or five minutes the ore is jigged, the sieve raised out of the water, the tailings scraped off by the workman, and finally three or four shovels full of fresh ore added. Previons to every third or fourth addition the chats, a layer of etibniteand gangue in the same pieces, are scraped off, rerolledand jigged. _Thesuperfluous bedding, which is fit tor smelting, is also oceasionallyremoved. When the jig boxisfull of ove the water is drained out and the ore again tranked and jigged. Tho original ore assayed 7.31 per cent. of antimony, the firet concentration enriched it to 21.8 per ceut., the second to 29.75, and the third to 66.35 per cent. of metel. The ohats assayed 4.57 per cent. and the tailings .99 per cent. The reeult of 23 days’ work of ono jig was 2,347 ponnds sieve ore (hedding), and 4,220 pounds jigged ore, or at the rate of 285 ponnds aday. The ore contains hy aualysis 12.7 per cent. of moisture, hence one jig nroduces 250 pounds dry 60 per cent. ore in 10 houre. Since one man can readily tend two jigs, ho will produce as much concentrated ore of a higher yicld as with a Krom concentrator, and will achieve this end from poorer ore, with a smaller loss and with cheaper machinery. The reeults obtained by Mr. Krom’s machine could.no douht he greetly improved, hut I do not helieve it will ever be able to seperate ore and rock as completely or cheeply asa plungerjig, nor do, Ihelieve thatin any form of dry concentration,iron pyrites of 4.9 sp. gr. can be separated from stihuite of 4.7.sp. gr., which reeult I haye obtained on a Rittinger’s continu. ous sbaking table. Numerous mines are so situated as to meke wet concentretion an impossibility; to these the air coucentretor will be a boon that can uot he too highly prized, and its inventor and his labors to perfect his maohine deserve the warmest approbetiou, The Smelting is Accomplished . By the roasting and reduction process, entirely similar to the method adopted by the Septémes Works in France, in 1855, The only novel point is the improvement introduced by the writcr in refiuing end smeitiug the metal in one operation. The concentrated ore is roasted in a reverheratory 40 ft. long and 9 ft. wide. The hight in the center is 18 in., the arch having 6 in, spriug. The fire-plece is 2 ft. wide, and 10 doors are ranged diogonally opposite on the two sides of the furnace. ~ The fire-bridge is 6 in. high and 12 in. wide, and the flue and stack 12x16 in. interior dimension. The furnace holds five charges; three of 6(0 ibs. of wet ore heing introduced and drawn every 24 hours. The ore, thercfore, remains 40 hours in the furnace, and is heeted nearly to fusion for two hours previous to drawing. To prevent its egglomeration ths ore is rahhled every five toten minutes. The loss of metal by roasting is 7.5 per cent., which is volatilized as sulphide of antimony, as, with proper working, the heatis not high enough to oxidize the fume. This operation produces a dull greyish-yellow mixture of oxide, containing a ‘variahle amount of oxisulphide of antimony. The consumption of fuel is only 34 cord of wood iu 24 hours. ‘ The Smelting Furnace Is a smell reverheratory, connected with a number of dnst chambers for collecting the volatalized and oxidised metel. The crucible of the furnace is lined with fire-clay, and is 5 tect diemeter and 18in. deep. The fire-hridge is 16 in. wide, the throet 18 hy 24 in., and the grate 2 feet wide. Ahout % cord of wood is hurned to each charge. The flux nsedinsmelting is » crude sulphate of soda in the form of eelt cakes, and tbe charge nsuelly employed consists of 500 tbs. of roasted ore, 100 iba. selt cake, and 75 ibs. hard wood charcoal, all ina coerse powder. The ore is mixed with 75 ibs. of charcoul and spread eveuly in the red-hot furnace, it is then covered by a mixture of selt cake and the rest of the charcoal. The fire is immediately nrged, and soon a violent reaction between the salt cake aud chercoal sets in, carbonete of soda is formed, end sulphurous ecid and carbonic oxide liberated. A fused layer is thus formed, whish protects the rednced metal end fluxes the silicic acid of the gangue as well as helping in the reduction. In about four hours the furnece is at a bright red heat, epproachiug whiteness, and the whole mess is in fusion and active ebullitiou, the cerhonio oxide penetreting the layer of slag and burning with a green flame: The charge is now repeatedly well stirred, until it is iu quiet fusiou, at which poiutit is kept for half an hour, to allow ell the metel to settle. The fire is then let down and the doors placed ajar till the surface of tbe slag is at a dull red heat, and has become thick end pasty. It can then be drawn out of the fnrnace with a peir of prongs, or arake. Immediately on its removal the refining eleg, a mixture of 25 ibs. salt cake and 10 ibs. chercoal, is thrown on the metal, and the fire egain strongly urged. Cerbonate and sulphide of soda are produced, which su!phuvize and scorify the impurities in the metal. In 1% hour the slag isin quiet fnsion end must be perfectly liquid, running like water, The metal is immedietely ledled into iron dishes holding 25 ibs., cere heing taken to dip enough slag to cover it about % in. thick, and not to let the antimouy solidify in the dish until the latter is full. The slag ought to ree main eoft after the metal is solidified, and must not be hroken off till perfectly cold. The metal obtained by this process is nearly chemically pure, and to this it owes ite beautiful crystalline etructure or ster and its high price in the merket. : The Smelting Slag Hes a porphyritic appcarance and is mainly silicate of soda holding quartz and slato in suspension. The refining slag seems to be composed principally of a double sulphide of sodium and antimony, dissolved in, or mixed with, carbonate of soda. It contains 15 per cent. of antimouy, which is extracted hy smelting 500 Tbs. of slag with 100 Ibs. of iron. A slag is produced therefrom that contains only a trace of antimony. From experiments made with the smelting slag I am convinced that the antimony could be profitably extracted by smelting it with iron ore and coal in a low shaft furnace, as it was possible to reduce the metal in the metal in the reverbatory, but not to render the slag liquid enough to allow the antimony to eettle. The flue dust ohtained is a pure oxide of antimony and is smelted exactly like the ore. In conclusion, I may say that this method of smelting autimony is cheaper than any other known metbod; no crucible breakage has to be charged, nor is the quaniity of fuel or lahor nearly a3 large asin the old English crucible procese. With well, built furnaces the loss of

metal nced not exceed 12 to 15 per cent., which amount is lost in crucihle smelting, and the metal prodnced is of a much snperior qnality. ' who are poor, Irish Mining Operations, . _, While so much is written relative to the mining operations in the various districts in England and Scotland, little is generally published in England of what takes plece in Iteland, where the works ere of equal importance and value to those of Great Britein. The question tion of how best to utilise the mineral resources of Ireland has long been a much-vexed one; and yet, when we review the varions reports just now to hand from the Irish collieriee and mines, we are ataloss to understand why it should he so. FE ‘From a few accounts of the workiug of the past yeer,we leern that during the last six months 1,302 tons of copper ore were raised at the Knockmahon mines, in the county of Weterford, as compared with 1,330 tons in the half-year previous. The loss upon the operations amonuted to £882 ds. 9d., after an expenditure of £734 on explorations at Kilduene and other royalties. The improved prospects of the Luganure lead mines’ have so far heen reelized, thet the operations heve resulted in +he raising of increased qnantities of ore. A new lode, the ‘‘Hero,’’ has heen proved to a depth of fifty fathoms, and another promising lode has heen discovered in the neighhorhood. In the lest six months the wiunings were 682 tons, as compared with 498 tons in the preceding six months, The quantity of leed ore delivered to the Ballycorus Smelting Works, Connty Dubliu, wes 676 tons, of the value of £1,455, the profit on which wes £921. The operations in the varions branches of leed ore smelting and lead manufacture et the Bellycorus works have resulted in a profit of £1,516, whilst in the smelting of silver ores there has heen a loss of £2,242. The new lease of the Slievordagh Collieries (Cork) having heen obteined, a pit is now heing snnk in connection with Coalhrook Colliery, which has already reached a considerable depth, and which will, it is calculated, he completed in abont a year. The output of coal and culm at the Slievordagh Collieries has amounted to 20,027 tons, agaiust 19,512 tons ia the corresponding six months of 1872. At the Dulkallow Collieries, the troublesome and expensive operation of unwatering and sécuring yentilation has been completed, and the usual raising of coal and culm has heen resumed. The quantity of coal and culm brought to hauk has reached 2,930 tons, which, thongh less than in the previcus half-year, is fairly demonstrative of the great value of these collieries. Taken as a whole, the reports from Ireland are satisfactory; and, should capital be brought to bear in the development of the mineral wealth it contains, a marked progress and hsneficiel resnlt would undoubtedly be the reward of the enterprise.—Jron. A Miner’s Views on Quicksilver Bills. A practical miner favors ns with his views on the hill lately introduced hy Mr. Gilman in the Assembly, as follows: Itis one that demands the attontion of the prodnccr es well as the consumer. Quicksilver is an article that men must have, no metter whet the price. Gilman’s bill proposss to regulate the price. Now I coutend that the only way and the only meens by which the price can be reguleted, is hy the co-operation of producer and consumer. But to show you the many ohstecles thrown in the wey of the miner, I will illustrate one ceseof my personel kuowledge—one in many thousands. Two miles from Cloverdale there is a ciunabar lode, called the ‘“‘Live Oak,’’ located last Septemher, end owned hy Messrs. Dougherty, Walker & Co. There is a shaft sunk 40 feet, 2 tunuel 55 feet to strike the ledge at a depth of 40 feet. A cross-cut has heen started, aud they ere now going through ore thet assays from one to two per cent. There are several mines iu this locality, where the prospect is equally as good as the “* Live Oak,’? hut owiug to the winter setting in, have not been prospected so well. The owners of this mine bave tried to effect asale. So far they have failed—and why? Because the ‘middlemen’? have formed a ring. The “middlemen’’ are ‘‘curbstone brokers ” that have no legitimate business, hut make money out of other peoples’ misfortunes, and it takes a miner with a small fortnne to do anything with them. They keep dilly-dallying along day after day, until tbe party selling the mine is either ‘‘hroke’’ or disgusted, when from sheer poverty he will sell at any price. The mine is then sold to the third party, or capitalist, the ‘‘ middlemen’? making all the mouey, while the prospector gets virtually uothing. Now I propose that mine owuers, mill men, and corporations generally, nsing quicksilver, aseist the cinnabar miners Buy thcir mines, erect suitahle works, and manufacture tleir own quicksilver. If they would adopt this plan they need not ask legislation on the subject. It is a universal fect that prospectors are always poor. If they were not, we would have no monopolies to dictate the price of quicksilver or any other product of the mines. ‘he Virginia City Chronicle advances a capital idea, that of a unity among prospectors—in faot a Grange—which should he endorsed hy all miners. Let them unite and form a genoral fund, and when necessary assist memhers nutil they have attained their object, provided it ig honorahle, in the sale of a mine, The Raymond. and Ely Mine. ; In a late issuethe Pioche Record epeaks of the Raymond & Ely mine as follows: Main shaft down 1,110 feet. The level running from the tenth stetion is 172 feet from the ninth etation; the work on the ledge is being done with whims, and has progreesed 45 feet in good.ore. The eighth level is heing run to the ledge, and is within 15 feet of it. The seventh level conteins splendid ore, which can be worked to much better advantage than any other, the metter heiug in a powdered state. Between the fifth and sixth levels no work is being done. Between the fourth and fifth levels a superior quelity of oreis being taken ont. The whole amount of ore extracted daily is from 70 to 80 tons, aud the working force is ahout 170 men. This mine is worked hetter than any other mine iu Nevada. The reilroad track runs under the oré house, so thet no lahor is required to loed the cere, a double track, turn-table, switches aud every facility for repid work heing provided. Shipments hy rail for the week were 855 tone of ore. The foregoing report mag furnished hy the forsman, Thomas AnTrews. The motive power of the Raymond & . Ely mine consists of two engines—one 19-inch . cylinder hy 24-inch stroke, which runs the cege in the west shaft; the other, lately erected, the east cege, a double-decker, weighing fifteen hundred pouuds—with complement of cers loeded six thousaud pounds, This heautiful piece of mechanism, displeying the mesterhand of genius in the design and erection, wae planned by Mr. Geo. E, Ames, and was constructed hy Booth & Co., of San Francisco. ,It is of 80-horse power, 20-inch cylinder and :36inch stroke, with halance valve in the brake,” aud every improvement thet steam enginesring of modern times suggests. The steam snpply is furnished hy two sets of hoilers, used alternetely, to allow cleaning and repairing without stopping the works, two 56 inches in diamete and two 48 inches in diameter, 16 feet long, and built at Marysville from design of Mr, Ames. — They are furnished with Richardson’s auto-. matic safety velves, out of control of engineers or firemen when set and supplied hy 2 Knowles’ steam pump, which can also be used in case of fire. There are 1,700 feet of wire cahle, with engine cepacity to sink 2,000 feet. Steam Pipes in Mines. o It is a freqnent arrangement now-2-deye, cays Tron, to conduct steam throngh long etretohes of pipes, lagged and unlegged. “This is especially the case iu the pfesent eystem of mine drainage where the engine and pump are comhined, and placed at the bottom of the mine close to the water. The steam is then frequently taken many thousend yards from hoilers ou the surfece to pumps underground. The ineviteble cundensation of some of the steam forms a considerahle accumulation of water in the pipes at tbe engine, which ceuses the cylinder to prime heevily, and it ie therefore very injurious unless removed. To effect this, a frequent method is to ‘place a water-cock in a receiver'at the lowest point in the line of piping. This cock is then left constantly open, the condensed water with a large volume of steam continuelly hlowing off to waste. To avoid this waste of steam a very ingenious French invention has heen idtroduced to pass off automatically all éondensing steam with the least possihle waste of lve steem. The appearance of the apparatus is that of a ball-valve oscillating on a trunnion in a cistern of water. The trunnion is hollow, with two passages. One admits the condensed water irom the pipes into the hall of the cock when in its highest position, The bell now heing filled with condensed water, sinks in the cistern, opening’a commmnication with the live steam into the hall, The live steam thus admitted empties the hall of its contained water, the hall again rises, and is once more filled with condensed water:from the pipes, end so on, Theactuel oscillations in practice are very small indeed, and the loss of steam not perceptihle. 8 Trench Miyne.—In conversetion with Mr, Bntsch, now in charge of the Trench mine, on White Pine Monntaiu, we learn that everything about the famous property is looking exceedingly well. Although the roads are in such condition as to render the shipment of ores impossible, work on the mine is being constantly pushed ahead, developing Isrge and rich liodiea of ore. Butsch says that every day’s work reveals more aud more palpably the fact of the property proving one of the most valuable in the district, and he is satiefied a 20-stamp mill can be run on the product. We learn that negotiatione are in progress having in view either a consolidation with the Monte Cristo mill, situate about two milee from the mine, or a lease of the eame. It has always appeared to us a nseless expenditure of many dollars in teking the ores from the Trench to Eureka, some forty miles distant, when a new 20-stamp mill stands idle at their very door, capahle of crushing rock with as good rosnlts ae oan be obtained elsewhere. It is earnestly to hé hoped that the coming spring will canse a change in the management of affaire ae regarde the working of the really valuable oree obtained in the Trench mine. Tom. Rohiueon, the euperintendent, is now helow, endeavoring to make arrangements for vigorous working the coming season.— White Pine News.