The life of a silver mine in the 16th century, according to Heinrich Groff
zoom 1
Washing the ore[Print 19]
Washing is the key step before melting. The washers must separate as perfectly as possible the powder that they receive into ore and useless. The job consists of sreading the ore on a gently angled planked surface (zoom 1), on which water is run intermittently by the "rowers" (here a woman). The washers constantly mic the ore using a saddle, so that the water washign away the lighter particles to leave the heavier ore.
