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Processing the Lead Ore
The lead was separated from the waste rock by crushing and washing, and then smelted into a molten state and poured
into moulds to set into "pigs" or bars of lead.
The material brought out of the mine was called 'bouse', and was tipped into bays known as 'bouse steads' or '
bouse teems' for the first stage of processing. Women and children hand-crushed the bouse on a dressing-floor with
small flat hammer-like tools called buckers. At a later stage, water-powered mills with crushing rollers took over
this laborious task. The large overshot waterwheel at Killhope Lead Mining Museum was used to power a crushing mill.
After crushing into small pieces, the heavy lead ore was sorted from the waste in a variety of processes using water.
Various stages of processing were used involving equipment called jiggers, buddles and dolly tubs. All these used the
tendency of the heavy lead ore to settle more quickly in water than the lighter waste.
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