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Show SACCnARATK OF MKRCURT. "D. B." in the Scknuic American, says in answer to a correspondent: The difficnlty in getting mercury thoroughly incorporated with clay ore, or washings from crushing midlines, renders it advisable, if possible, to combine the mercury with some substance sub-stance soluble in water. If this can be effected, a very small quantity of mercury mer-cury will do for the purpose, as it will be brought into contact with every particle par-ticle of gold in the mass. I have rubbed mercury and sugar together in a mortar, and find that the sugar immediately im-mediately acquires a pale gray color, the granules being coated with mercury mer-cury in the finest possible degree of comminution. If this powder be thoroughly thor-oughly mixed with pulverized ore, and the whole then washed with water, there will be do grain of earth, and consequently of gold, that is not in contact with metalio mercury. This is the theory, and it seems eminently practical. Chalk, molasses, and many other substances, have no kind of fitness fit-ness for the purpose. |