Silver dissolves readily in nitric acid, forming silver nitrate. It only forms one family of salts, and of these the chloride and nitrate are of chief importance to the assayer. The formation of the chloride of silver on the addition of hydrochloric acid or a soluble chloride to the nitric acid solution, serves for the recognition and separation of silver. The precipitated chloride is white (becoming violet on exposure to light), insoluble in nitric acid, soluble in ammonia, hyposulphite of soda, or concentrated solutions of chlorides. The best confirmatory test is made by wrapping the precipitate in a little sheet lead, and cupelling, when the silver will be left in the metallic state, and is easily recognized. ~Dry Assay.~--This assay is made up of two parts: (1) the concentration of the silver in a button of lead; and (2) the cupellation of the resulting alloy. The concentration of the button of lead may be effected either by scorification or by fusion in a crucible. The scorification assay is performed in a scorifier, which is a shallow open-mouthed dish about 2-1/2 inches across, with a very thick bottom to enable it to withstand the corrosive action of the slag. A charge of more than 3 or 5 grams of the ore cannot be worked in one, and with such small charges the unavoidable variations have a serious effect on the figures reported. A difference of one milligram on the weight of the button of silver got represents a difference of 6 or 10 ounces per ton. With rich ores such variation is unavoidable under any conditions, and the only safe plan is to take the mean of several assays. But with poorer ores the accuracy of the assay, as well as convenience in working, is much increased by working in a crucible with larger charges. In scorification the proportion of lead required for scorifying 1 gram of ore is in average cases from 10 to 15 grams, sinking in the case of galena to 2 grams, and rising with earthy and refractory substances to from 30 to 40 grams. But by fusing in a crucible with well-selected fluxes, a proportion of 4 of flux to 1 of ore is generally sufficient; and not only is the proportion of added matter less, but it is also easier to manipulate large quantities in crucibles, so that, although in some cases the crucible assay is more troublesome and less satisfactory, yet with poor and earthy ores it is the best method of dealing with them; while when properly worked it yields results as accurate as scorification does. As a general rule, if more than 5 grams of ore must be taken, the crucible assay should be adopted. [Illustration: FIG. 38.]