Mynock wrote:Would need more input on the container. Size? Material? What "unusual design features" are we talking?
It might bore others less if we discussed this ore directly, but I will try to describe what I envision.
The container itself DOES have some unique requirements. I do not envision full submergences in this, or even sinking more than about waist deep, so what I am thinking is a main container about 30 to 36 inches deep, probably closer to 30. It could be round or square. It might go into a hole in the ground or, more likely, sit on the ground, surrounded by an elevated deck of some sort. Then there would be a second part I will call a flange. This would fit into the top few inches of the main container, making a seal that would reliably prevent any leakage. The flange would be larger, perhaps 6 feet square and with an elevated rim. The rim would be only an inch or so high and would ideally be irregular in shape. If the whole thing was surrounded by a deck the flange would rest on the deck surface.
The above is not critical EXCEPT that it meet two requirements. First, it must prevent any contamination of the "tar" including from rainwater, and second, that it prevent the "tar" from spilling out.
My preference would be for this to use the surrounding deck approach. The Studio already has a 16 by 16 foot deck. Most of the deck has joists on 16 inch centers but there is one place that already has a square of about 4 by 4 that is free of obstructions. The deck surface is less than 30 inches above the ground so some material will have to be removed, probably without any heavy equipment.
The above is about as far as I have thought things through.