r the Ore requires no such
preparation? (as it often happens in Lead, and sometimes in Iron, &c.)

67. Whether _Mercury_ be made use off, to extract the nobler from the baser
metals? (as is their practice in _Peru_, and other parts of the
_West-Indies_.)

68. Whether the leaving the Ore expos'd to the open Air and Rain for a good
while, be used as a Praeparative? (as I have seen done in _Iron-stone_.)

69. Whether the Burning and Beating of the Ore be used to prepare it for
the Furnace? (as is practised in _Iron_, and almost always in _Copper_:)
And, in case they use it more than once, how often they do it; (for,
_Copper-Ore_ is in some places washed 8. or 10. times, and in others, 12.
or 14.) and with what circumstances; as, how long the Ignition lasts at a
time, whether the Ore be suffer'd to cool of it self, or be quench'd?
whether it be washed betwixt each Ignition?

70. What Flux-powders, and other ways they have to try {340} and examine
the goodness of the Ore in small quantities?

71. Whether, when they work in _great_, they use to melt the Ore with any
Flux or Additaments, or only by the force of the Fire, or in any way
between both? (As throwing in of Charcoals when they melt Iron-stone does
not only serve to feed the Fire, but perhaps by the _Alchaly_ of its Ashes
to promote the fusior: so Lime-stone, &c.)

72. What kind of Furnaces they use, to melt the Ore in? Whether they be all
of one sort and bigness, or of differing?

73. What are, the Situation, Materials, Dimensions, Shape, Bigness, and in
short what is the whole structure and Contrivance of the Furnace? If there
be any thing peculiar and remarkable? What Tools are used in Smelting,
their Figures, use, &c. And the whole manner of working?

74. What kinds of Fewel, and what quantities of it, are wont to be employed
in the Furnace, within the compass of a day, or week? How much is put in at
a time? How often it is renewed? And how much Ore in a determinate time, as
a week or a day, is wont to be reduced to Metal?

75. In case an Additament be employed, what that is, and in what proportion
it is added? Whether it be mingled with the Ore, before that be put into
the Fire, or cast in afterwards; and, if so, at what time, &c?

78. Whether the Ore be melted by a Wind, excited by the Fire it self; as in
Wind-ovens? Ore by the course of Waters? Or acuated by the blast of
Bellows; and, if so, whether these Bellows be mov'd by a Wheel, turn'd by
Water r