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need to pass the fire, is separated by water first in a Sive, and afterwards in a long trough, having very small holes at one end. So that there are in a manner two sorts of Virgin-Mercury; the one, running out and discovering itself without labour, the other, requiring some way of Extraction and separation, though not so high an one, as by Fire.
Plaine Quicksilver they name that, which is not at first perceived by the Eye, or falls from the Ore, but is forc'd out by Fire. And this they obtaine out of the Ore, or out of the Cinnaber of Mercury. which they digg out of this Mine. The Ore of this Mine is of a dark colour, mix'd with red. But the best is an hard Gone; which they commit not presently to the operation of the Fire, but powder it grossly, and work it by the Sive; that so, if any Virgin-quicksilver be found in it, it may be separated in this manner, and what doth not pass the Sive, may be separated by Fire in Iron-furnaces; Fifty of them in a Fire.
The Quicksilver-ore of this Mine is the richest of all Ores, I have yet seen; for ordinarily it contains in it halfe Quicksilver, and in two parts of Ore one part of Quicksilver, and sometimes in in 3. parts of Ore, two parts of Quicksilver.
I went into the Mine by the Pitt of St. Agatha, and came up again by that of St Barbara, descending and ascending by Ladders. I ascended at one of 639. staves or 89. fathoms. Andreas Siserus, in Kircher's Mundi Subterraneus, makes such a dreadful description of this Mine, that it might discourage any from attempting the descent; which makes me doubt, Whether he had been in any other Mine especially where the descent is made by Ladders.
This Mine. I was inform'd, hath been wrought 200. years; about the same space of time with Newsol-Mine, but coms much short in time of the Silver-mine at Schemnitz; and much shorter yet of the notable Lead-mines in upper Carinthia. Some hundreds or men are employed about this Mine of Idria; of which the chief Officers are the Prefect, the Controller, and the Judge.
I heard no complaint of the Damps of this Mine, as I have heard of divers others; Yet the workmen are sufficiently mischiev'd without them: for, though they be not suddenly suffocated,yet
