Mudie Quartz Crusher

In 1893 Scott and Clarks Tamar Foundry manufactured the Mudie patent Quartz Crusher with Cootes improvements as part of the general work undertaken at this time. This had been built by the firm under the personal supervision of Charles Coote who had secured patent rights for Tasmania and New Zealand. The occasion of the trial at their William Street works, had caused much comment in mining circles at the time, and many were anxious to personally inspect the machine. In attendance of the first trial were F. W. Grubb and H. I. Rooke, M.L.C.Richard Green, Robert Gardner, Samuel Tulloch, Jas. Barclay, E. M. King, and other gentlemen, together with members of the Launceston Stock Exchange.The machine consisted of a semi-cylindrical chamber in three sections, bolted together and set on rockers. In each chamber was placed a roller 30 in. in diameter and 18 in. fall; this gives a grinding surface of 900 superficial feet per minute. There is a slight fall between each roller, on which are placed copper ripple plates, so that whatever gold was liberated by the crushing of the first roller had a chance to get amalgamated on the first copper ripples, and so with the second chamber where the material passes through a rough grating before entering the third or last chamber, where it was retained until fine enough to go through a 200 punched grating, after which it was passed over the final copper ripples. It was claimed that the machine would save all the free gold. The crusher weight was seven ton and the weight of back roller, 27 cwt. The capacity was 50 tons of material per week, and the horse power required to drive it was only 2 i.h.p. The water required with ordinary stone was about 500gals per ton.The construction of the machinery by the firm of Scott and Clark was well regaurded , and Mr. Coote spoke highly of the way the work was completed.