operations of a mineral that, perhaps, one day or other
we may be in want of ourfelves.
Let us enquire into the five or fix thoufand quintals of
quickfilver, fent yearly from this place to the Mexican
mines ; though my account ihould not be entirely exaft,
it will come as near as is neceffary in points of this nature.
Many of the mines o f New Spain are worked by
fufion, but where fuel is fcarce, or the ore very poor,
they amalgamate it with quickfilver; it mult be allowed
the Spaniards were the firft who undertook this proeefs
in 1566 ; it is true, it was in ufe in the gold mines of
Hungary, but this had no# connexion with the works of
the Spaniards, becaufe in Hungary, the ore either appears
to the naked eye, or is perceived with a lens, and
as every body knows that quickfilver mingles with gold,
it was natural to fuppofe, it could be extra&ed by this
method ; but none before the Spaniards ever thought of
mixing quickfilver with a ftone, containing invifible fil-
ver, dilfolved with fulphur, and arfenic, and oftentimes
mixed with copper, lead, and iron. They therefore dif-
covered an ingenious mode of reducing a poor ore to an
impalpable powder, and to form a mafs of about twenty-
five quintals, mixing it afterwards with fait, or green
copperas, and with lime, or alhes, reduced to a fine
powder.
Thefe bodies, however, being o f a different nature,
would remain in perpetual reft, without a diffolvent to
put them in a<ftion, for which purpofe, they are fuffi-
ciently fprinkled with water, throwing in thirty quintals
of mercury, at different times, taking care to ftir it about
conftantiy, for the fpace of two months. The fixed alkali
of the alhes, and lime, diffolved by this means, works
in the acid of the falts and copperas, which inteftine action
caufes a violent effervefcence and heat, by which
means the fulphur, and arfenic, abfolutely diffolve, and
deftroy the copper, lead, and iron. Then the imperceptible
atoms of filver, efcape from their confinement,
are colleded by the quickfilver, which amalgamates with
them, and form that fubftance or pafte the Mexicans
call pina [a).
By this proeefs they collect one and a half, or two
ounces of filver from every quintal of ore, from which,
according to the method practifed in Europe, they would
not defray workmen’s wages.
(a) The moft perfect filver extrailed from the ore at the mines is .in that form, .which the
Spaniards call pinnas, which is a lump of filver extremely porous, becaufe it is the remainder
of a pafte made up of filver duft and mercury, and the latter being exhaled, leaves this remainder
of the.mafs, fpupgy, full of holes, and light. It is this kind o f filver that is put. into
different forms by the merchants, in order to cheat th^ king of bis duty, See.----See.íh e .procéis
of the ore from the mine to this kind of cake or mafs.—— “ Voyage to Peru, performed
by the íhip Conde of St. Malo.” Written by the chaplain. London, 1759*