>Can any reader suggest a source of information for the above process which
>does not require a degree in chemistry to understand.
>
>Suggestions as to the use of mercury in 16/17th century -
>mining/silver/lead/smelting?
Trevor,
Despite its title, the following will give you some detail on the processes,
and the historical context, for both the saigerprocess and the use of
mercury in the extraction of silver from the halloid ores in the 16th/17th
centuries.
- Blanchard, Ian. Russia's Age of Silver, (London, 1989).
The use of mercury amalgamation (the patio process used in the treatment of
silver halloid ores in Central America) would not be appropriate for the
silver ores found in the lead/zinc deposits at Combe Martin, but it does not
mean that it was not tried. Similarly the saigerprocess, using liquation to
extract silver from copper ores by transfering it to lead added to the
process, would not be appropriate for the Combe Martin ores, although a form
of liquation (the 'hutt') was used in the Crown silver mines in south Devon,
at Bere Ferrers, in the early 14th century (see Claughton, 'Medieval
silver-lead smelting in Devon,' in L. Willies and D. Cranstone, eds., Boles
and Smeltmills, (1992), pp. 12-15.) There is however one possible
connection between Combe Martin lead/silver and the saiger process - the
export of lead from England for use in the continental process. Any silver
in the lead would, of course, compliment that extracted from the copper ores
and increase the overall value of the produce. Blanchard (International Lead
Production and Trade in the "Age of the Saigerprozess" 1460 - 1560,
(Stuttgart, 1995).) has suggested that silver rich lead from Combe Martin
was exported for the purpose but I have never seen any evidence to support
that suggestion.
Peter
______________________________________________
Peter Claughton, Blaenpant Morfil, Rosebush, Clynderwen,
Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
Tel. 01437 532578; Fax. 01437 532921; Mobile 07831 427599
University of Exeter - School of Historical, Political and Sociological Studies
(Centre for South Western Historical Studies)
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Co-owner - mining-history e-mail discussion list.
See http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/mining-history/ for details.
Mining History Pages - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/~pfclaugh/mhinf/
_____________________________________________
|