GOLD-SAVING APPARATUS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 226, 30 May 1872, Page 8

GOLD-SAVING APPARATUS.

The " Grey River Argus " says :—: — We have had an opportunity of inspecting the plan of an apparatus invented by Mr. Crossley, now qf. this town, which seems highly neeest ary for adaptation by the mining companies [ who are crushing or about to crush at the reefs. In its very simplicity its excellence is constituted, as it neither requires extra gear or runs any danger [ of breakage or stoppage to the works by getting out of order. It is simply a patent ripple wherein the quicksilver is made to act as wanted, despite of cold or atmospheric influences. As it is well known that mercury at 15dog. below zero^ freezes harder than solid iron, and cannot possibly act as a recipient of gold, and then also contracts to one-third of its dimensions when active and well disposed, we can easily imagine that any means that can remedy such inactivity in, this most necessary aid to gold-saving mnst be of great importance to the district. Such a want Mr. Crossley's ripple professes to meet. Tina plan has 'been successfully adopted at Wood's Point, where the atmospheric influence exercises such a depression unon the mercury as to render it almost totally inactive. The same affair was also experienced upon some of the claims upon the Thames, and it was not until Mr. Crossley's apparatus was brought into use that the real value of the stone was known. The deterrent influences that' operated against the true testingand amalgamation of the quartz, gold, and quicksilver in both these places are much in excess in the Reefton district, inasmuch as the cold is greater and the humidity is more. We also know from specimens shown that gold of a very fine floury nature is obtained in many-of the claims, anM when such is the case, unless it is caught by some very strong and powerful recipient the veriest trickle of water will carry it away. In the design we hare mentioned all such difficulties are met by merely being able to keep up a requisite temperature of sucl^a heat as to enablethe mercury to act as wanted. The

ripplesaro kept in a continual state of agitation during the crushing, and receives all the matrix into a9in. trough, through which the mercury is at times running. Attached to this is a pipe which receives a continual supply of steam, which traverses through the three or four troughs that may constitute the apparatus. Aloag with this are other appliances of a substantial nature that act in conjunction to keep the mercury alive, while attached to them are the usual boxes and plates in ordinary use. It has, however, been proved in every case where these ripples have been tried that from 95 to 98 per cent of the gold produced has been got in them, and this result has been when there have been silvered plates, blankets, and plush used in long flumings to catch what might have been missed in the first instance. In crushing by this process, as we have alreadyobserved, cold and liks deterring influence upon the mercury are combated, and we should therefore welcome the introduction of such an idea as Mr. Crossley has invented. It is simplicity itself, and when once looked at by experienced miners will, in our opinion, be immediately adopted.