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Gold stamp mill, USA, 1888
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Gold stamp mill, USA, 1888
Gold stamp mill. Workers cleaning the inside of a stamp mill used to obtain gold from crushed ore. After crushing (at right), the ore was washed over mercury-coated copper sheets (at left). The resulting amalgam (mercury alloy) of the gold particles with the mercury was scraped off. The gold metal was then recovered by heating and evaporating the mercury, which was itself trapped in a condenser for reuse on more ore. This is the Deadwood Terra Gold Stamp Mill, one of the mills operated by the Homestake Mining Company in Terraville, Dakota, USA. This photograph, by John C. H. Grabill, dates from 1888
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Media ID 9215357
© LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
1880s 1888 Building Chemical Engineering Cleaning Crushing Dangerous Factory Geological Gold Hazard Inside Interior Machine Machinery Mercury Miner Miners Mining North American Ores Precious Metal Process Processing Plant Reaction Toxic Worker Workers Working Amalgam Crusher Dakota Flywheel Gold Rush John C H Grabill
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print takes us back to the heart of the American gold rush in 1888. The image showcases a group of diligent workers inside a Gold stamp mill, meticulously cleaning the machinery used to extract gold from crushed ore. The process was intricate yet hazardous, as they carefully washed the crushed ore over mercury-coated copper sheets, creating an amalgam of gold particles with mercury. The skilled miners then scraped off this precious amalgam before recovering the gold metal through heating and evaporating the mercury. Ingeniously, the condensed mercury was trapped in a condenser for reuse on more ore, highlighting both their resourcefulness and commitment to efficiency. The photograph specifically captures one of the mills operated by Homestake Mining Company in Terraville, Dakota - known as Deadwood Terra Gold Stamp Mill. It offers a rare glimpse into industrial technology during that era when men worked tirelessly amidst dangerous conditions to extract valuable minerals from nature's depths. John C. H. Grabill skillfully captured this momentous scene with his lens, immortalizing not only these brave workers but also an important chapter in American history. As we admire this monochrome snapshot today, it serves as a reminder of our ancestors' determination and ingenuity while working towards prosperity during one of America's most significant periods - forever etched within Library of Congress archives for future generations to appreciate and learn from.
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