English: At Malboac (i.e. Malbesc), in the department of Ardèche, in France, the separation of the sulphide of antimony from its associated gangue is effected by means of a peculiar apparatus, (Pic. 39.)
The mineral is placed in large retorts, R R, of which four are set in each furnace. An aperture is left at the bottom of each of these cylinders, which corresponds with a similar opening by which they are supported. Beneath these, in the chambers c c, are placed earthen pots (i.e. crucibles), p p, in which is received the melted sulphide as it descends through the openings in the cylinders. The fuel consumed on the grate consists of fir wood ; and the sulphide obtained (i.e. antimony matte) is converted into metallic antimony by roasting in a reverberatory furnace, and subsequent reduction by a mixture of 20 per cent, of powdered charcoal which has been saturated with a strong solution of the carbonate of soda.