The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-02 00:00:00

GOLD IN WALES.

A tourist, writing on the depreciation of gold,
says—During the last 12 months it has not unfre-
quently happened that the question of gold in Wales
has been discussed over the dinner table, and the
conflicting opinions that have been expressed have
certainly seemed most puzzling. Here and there
some one has been found bold enough to assert that
gold producing mines were actually being worked
at a high profit in Cambria, but for the most part
the whole affair has been pooh-poohed as an ideal
absurdity, while a few have been heard to say that
although it was a well known fact that auriferous
ore existed, yet this circumstance was of no prac-
tical, value, because the expense of obtaining the
small quantity of precious metal it contained was
so great as to render it useless to think of work-
ing it. I was, therefore, glad of the opportunity
afforded me of judging for myself, and I can only
say that for the future, if ever the subject is again
discussed in my presence, I shall be able to assert
from the evidence of my own senses-1. That gold
abounds in Wales ; 2. That with means already at
their disposal, mine proprietors have produced con-
siderable quantities of the precious metal; and 3.
That when the appliances of advancing science
shall have simplified and other wise improved the
modus operanii, it is next to impossible to over esti-
mate the results. The mine to which I would make
earliest reference (for I saw three) was, I was told,
originally a copper mine, and is still called the Vigra
and Colgan Copper Company. It is situated about
five miles from Dolgelly, audio the direct road from
that place to Barmouth. An ordinary traveller
would pass by without observing the little road that
leads up to the mine. A short distance up this road
are the works. They seemed to consist of a few
.rudely-constructed workshops or offices, a large en-
closed shed, within which the sound of machinery
was heard, and an enomous water-wheel; add to this
a wooden bridge, very roughly constructed, extend-
ing from these works to a hill close y; h
of pa
roue
ere
and there of earth and quartz and material
kinds ; a few, very few, workmen, and the Vigra and
Clogan Works, as a casual observer would notice
them, are described. The gentleman through whose
kindness I was permitted to explore this interesting
place requested that I might be allowed to see some
of the ore which the mine has produced, and was
still producing. A piece of quartz was handed to
me for my inspection, studded all over with gold :
and one of the practical people there informed me
that this piece, which weighed about 7 lbs., con-
tained at least 12 ozs. of gold ; that is, I believe, a
quantity that would realise at the Bank of England
aybaohluatblo46p.iercrehiosfunciduoaurtbzt,edbluyt it Wasa,
was n
taken from a
e xceptionally
rich shoot of auriferous matter, and such shoots are
I heard that
frequently found in the mine, On inquiry
the richest of the ore worked had yielded as much
as 778 ozs. of gold per ton,
17 tons 11 cwts. had yieldedandthat a quantity of
358 ozs. 4 dwts. per t0n,,60 ozs. of gold, or 1-1- oz. per
while even of the poorest
ore 892 tons produced
ton, a quantity, I believe, 0,182 ozs. 4 dwts., or
sary to yield lucrative
some retnrns. Indeed, I have been
told that infar beyond what is neces-
sary
an ounce to continental mines—in Hungary,
for example--material containing only the quarter
sults. The the ton is worked with profitable re-
me precious material exists in abund-
ance:\uiie. The West Clegan Mining Company very
near, and the works of which I had also the advan-
tage of seeing, is commencing operations., But the
most striking development of auriferous quartz in
the neighbourhood appears on a property known as
Berthllwyd, or Cefn Coch, about as far from Doe.
gelley as the Vigra and Clogan. Hero an auriferous
quartz lode appears on the surface, in some places
many feet in width, and upon which repeated ex-
periments with the Britten amalgamating achine
have been made. This belongs, it appears,m to the
West Clogan Gold Mining Company. The experi-
ments made are asserted toghave yielded from 3 to
10 ozs. to the ton. I was very glad in looking over
this mining property tohear an independent opinion
of its value from Mr. Warrington Smyth, the min-
ing engineerof the Woods and Forests.—Merioneth.
shire iferalci.