GOLD-WASHING MACHINE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 72, 17 June 1870, Page 3

GOLD-WASHING MACHINE.

It i 3 estimated by practical miners that a much larger quantity of gold escapes with ttie tailings than is secured by all the present methods of washing The gold thus lost, which is of the finest description, is carried off by the action of the water. Many attempts have been made to remedy the defect in this respect of the machine now in use; but without success, A perfect machino for the obtaining of gold from its ma- - trix has yet to be invented; and the person who shall contrive the necessary appliance will be worthy of an honor second only to that due to the discoverer of • gold, itself, for without doubt such a machine would give an immense stimulous to the gold-mining industry of the colony. Many goldfields, now unproductive, would then be worked profitaoly. Mr. Milner Stephen has invented a machine by which he hopes fine gold and precious stones will be secured to the miner as well a3 gold of a coarser description. The lower part .consists of a long wooden torn, open at one end to allow the water to flow off. J?o the sides of tuis are affixed iron frames. An axle passes through, having on the one side the handle by which the machine is worked, and on the other a rod which supports the cradle. Tiis rod is on the eccentric principle. It can be lengthened or shortened by means of a screw ; the effect 'being tor vary tae position ot toe cradle, either to balance it evenly, or to make it pitch outwards, so as to empty its contents more rapidly. Tne cradle, the principal part of the machine, is, we intended to accomplish the work now done by several ordinary machines. In length is about three feet six inches, the wiata being fro in. eighteen inches to nearly tnree feet. It is somewhat in tae shape of a ship, and may be said to have three decks or compartments. The top is the hopper, which consists of an iron grating with sides set at an angle ef 45 degrees to retain large nuggets. The smaller gold iand dirt having passed through the grating, falls into the second receiver, which consists of a strong, iron wire sieve, with small meshes to allow of the very fine gold passing tiirough. At the outer side or mouth of. this second receiver, is a copper ripple, so constructed as to prevent tae possibility, in the motion of the cradle, of the gold or gems being thrown out with the other stuff. A framework of spikes is fitted into the receiver, being intended to keep the stuff separate, and prevent it from clogging. But the chief feature of the cradle is the bottom part of it, or that intended for the reception of the finest gold. It consists of a copper pan, each of its edges forming the segment of a circle. By the motion of the cradle from side to side, the contents of the pan wiil be thrown in the form of the figure ao , and thus prevent the gold from escaping. In this pan the quicksilver will be plaeed, and also a framework of spikes, as iu the upper part, ta keep the quicksilver well separated, and taus make it more effective in catching the gold-dust as ifc falls from above. The cradle is supplied with an an ordinary sluice-box. Mr. Stephen, by way of experiment, put 43 small rubies, sapphires, and other precious stones, half-a-dozen naggers, and halta thirnbleful ot gold into some buckefcsful of dirt, and set the machine through the washing process. The result was taat all the precious stones and all the nuggets of gold were found in the gem receiver, and about the quantity of fine gold put into the dirt was taken out of the amalgamating pan. (Will ba concluded in our next.)