Getting Gold: A Practical Treatise for Prospectors, Miners and StudentsJohnson, J. C. F. (Joseph Colin Francis)
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Getting Gold: A Practical Treatise for Prospectors, Miners and Students
Johnson, J. C. F. (Joseph Colin Francis)
Gold mines and mining
Make two St. Andrew's crosses with four saplings, the upper angle being
shorter than the lower; fix these upright, one at each end of the shaft;
stay them together by cross pieces till you have constructed something
like a "horse," such as is used for sawing wood, the crutch being a
little over 3 feet high. Select a leg for a windlass barrel, about 6 in.
diameter and a foot longer than the distance between the supports, as
straight as is procurable; cut in it two circular slots about an inch
deep by 2 in. wide to fit into the forks; at one end cut a straight slot
2 in. deep across the face. Now get a crooked bough, as nearly the shape
of a handle as nature has produced it, and trim it into right angular
shape, fit one end into the barrel, and you have a windlass that will
pull up many a ton of stuff.
PUDDLER
This is made by excavating a circular hole about 2 ft. 9 in. deep and,
say 12 ft. in diameter. An outer and inner wall are then constructed of
slabs 2 ft. 6 in. in height to ground level, the outer wall being thus
30 ft. and the inner 15 ft. in circumference. The circular space between
is floored with smooth hardwood slabs or boards, and the whole made
secure and water-tight. In the middle of the inner enclosure a
stout post is planted, to stand a few inches above the wall, and the
surrounding space is filled up with clay rammed tight. A strong iron pin
is inserted in the centre of the post, on which is fitted a revolving
beam, which hangs across the whole circumference of the machine
and protrudes a couple of feet or so on each side. To this beam are
attached, with short chains, a couple of drags made like V-shaped
harrows by driving a piece of red iron through a heavy frame, shaped as
a rectangular triangle.
To one end of the beam an old horse is attached, who, as he slowly walks
round the circular track, causes the harrows and drags to so puddle
the washdirt and water in the great wooden enclosure that the clay is
gradually disintegrated, and flows off with the water which is from time
to time admitted. The clean gravel is then run through a "cradle," "long
Tom," or "sluice," and the gold saved. This, of course, is the simplest
form of gold mining. In the great alluvial mines other and more
intricate appliances are used but the principle of extraction is the
same.
A MAKESHIFT PUMP
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