Buddler

The sifter now agitates in the water nearly as at first, from time to time removing with the limp the lighter matters as they come to the surface; which being fit for washing only in boxes, are called buddler's offal, and are thrown into the huddle hole.

Fixed across the upper end, and above the edges of the buddle, is a board, about 15 inches wide, called the ‘jagging-boards,’ or ‘buddle-head,’ rather more inclined than the buddle itself, on which a small stream of water is made to run, at the will of the buddler, spreading itself thinly over the whole length of the board. The buddler, a man, or a boy, standing in the buddle, places on the jagging-board a small quantity of the ore, marking it into furrows, or ‘jagging’ it, with the edge of his shovel; […] Here the buddler does not ‘jag’ the ore on the buddle-head, as previously described; but the tin stuff, after being stirred up by an assistant, passes through the perforated plate (Fig. 5) in a liquid state, and is diffused over it, by means of numerous strips of wood, or guides, and falling into the buddle, is carefully and continually swept with a brush or broom, by the buddler, who stands on a board placed across the buddle.

The stuff to be buddled is turned on at the head, with a sufficient quantity of water, which washes it down an incline plane; the buddler assisting the action, and keeping the form of the plane as perfect as possible, so that the ore may be deposited near the head, and the waste towards the tail.

At the head of this box a distributing-board, c, is placed, which is in communication with the trough B, and a water launder A. The stuff is thrown into the trough B, when it is stirred by the buddler's assistant.

Every well-equipped débris digger on the Diamond Fields has a “buddler,” although he may not call it such.

From these tables wolfram, fit for the dressing-room is recovered, averaging 02 per cent. W.O., ; this is re- concentrated by means of hand buddler and hydraulieing to 68 per cent. A mechanical buddler is now on order for this work.

They work in parties of four or six,−two or four men at the pick and shovel and a girl to carry what they pick up, in a wooden bowl, to the buddler.

The mention of a buddler, a riddler, a knocker and two fillers in RH 9 indicates that two different methods of hydraulic separation were employed by the Partners.