The life of a silver mine in the 16th century, according to Heinrich Groff
zoom 1
zoom 2
The ore pillagers and smugglers[Print 18]
The ore, once sorted, is ground by the pillages in the "bocards" (zoom 1). The bocard is a hydraulic machine hydraulique that operates vertical bars (pestles) that fragment the ore and reduce it to a powder fine enough for washing. The pulverized ore is removed from the grinding tub and thrown by shovel against an angled wicker sift (zoom 2) allowing the determination of the right grading for washing. What passes through the sieve is send to the washers, the reste returns to grinding.
