Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-11-16
NgIS GENE MMWWa
COLD MINING.

we have converted with an intelligent gentleman
who has lately returned from the mining districts OF
Carolina, and obtained lew statement. concerning the
results Of his obsevAons and inquiries, that might
ad portion OF the public in forming correct general O.
pnions on branch of speculation which il proverbal
tempting and dangerous.
| The mnss of North Carclins are chiefly wrought in
the thee ranges of counties between Frederick aud
Chaios. which lie in direction about srthe asst and
Sou'hwest, corresponding wi the general ne OF the
coast The II st discrve,i-s made the South
Carol ma boundary; but as IL discovered that
tie veins all ran la avery sraght cour0e, between the
points OF the compass aforementioned, works were es
tahIshed AZ numerous places shove The most profta.
ole th''nes mas been done in toe counties OF Mecklen.
ourg anu Caharras The most labor has been bestowed
IN Mecklenburk aud Davidson counties. The surfsc.
mines, which are OF very interior Importance, require
no ohsr labor than that Necessary in washing the earth
in rockers, or large Inclined trough with mercury by
winch process the metal are fought into contact, and
afterwards found amslg amatei at the bottom Heat.
ing the atnagam in a retort separates them.
The veia mines, which are generally The mot i'm
por'an' are the most uncertain and hazardous TO the
worker They ia some sIorl supply OF ore up.
o" or near the surface but generally excavations
TO be made to SONS depth before any thing valuable is
obtained. One or two mines were mentioned ny our
informant, which had been worked about the de nth
OF 80 feet, AMI he housh none had yet besn
waited sblve 100 feet. The quartz rock il always an
indication OF gold in that region aud the ia, is al
ways tonnd in u. Tho veins OF quartz generally
thin, frequently connected with iron ore pyrites &c.
and sometimes nterposed between slate rocks. They
run nearly i'om Nochesst TO Suheast, before re-
marked. with such rrrciion, that the veins may often
be traced by the compass.
The whole mass OF qnaelz rock dug from the mine ,
sonTurs onainins quantity of other rock is taken
70 the nil, pounded, and ground extremely fine Tie
hh are OF dill rent descriptions; some with rollers
working In trough, very closely round perpsndicu-
lar axis some with large wheel rolling and revolv-
ns In large circle. much like the old fashioned cider
MILL These are all supplied with quick liver in con-
tact with which, the rocky aud metallic matter il
orgnt u, as Intimately as possible for the being
reduced to an almost impapable powder is SUSPENDED
IN The water, which gradually flows in aud after
ing slowly round, runs slowly out Much OF the gold
dispersed in the Of such minute aims as TO be
visible only by the aid of magniier but mos, of il
may ne extracted ~ his process If skiliuly perform
ell Tor the quicksilver seizes every particle Of the
precious metal il touches aud by amalgama with II
retains II ia he trough. To separate the amalssm from
wet deer skin and thus the la ter forced through the
nnama'gsnaed quicksilver, the whole srre,s.d in
press. The amagam is the N placed in reiort and ex-
p1,ed to heat-by which means the quicksilver is dis.
titled and the gold is left pure, retaining the for1, and
s@o which the anAgam had in the reort but rendered
porous by the process The gold 10 in some cases
into bars or ingo,s, before it is sold.
now these details SpPear very Ineligible and the
ro@H 10 wealth. through North Carolina sand field,
may sees to the inexperienced very direct and plain
one. II Is fact, however, that many persons who
nave been tempted TO walk i'm IT, have chaneed their
course. some of the reasons which they have
i9unied tbs change we informed, are The follow
ing:
II is very ssldsm tha, rich ere is 10 be found on the
surface and OF course some digging is to De done. This
H"''en continued iroiS day 70 day, hope being some
times de aged even for weeksbut the en,erpsising ar.
MOI 10 be dshsartened at paying few more DAYS
WV WINE thFy UinR they soon TO draw on an
eNhsu'ble bank Of gold. That bank has a. vet been
seldom hii upon. In short OF the counties of Davison
Meck'enburg, and Cabarrass, most of the veins are
worked at a loss In Brtke county, one company. al
YER spending about $50, 600 Teuounced gold mining
o'her companies have al,o given it up; and numerous
individuals who are met with in that part OF the conn
try are described having got through very long and
marked attacks OF the gold hunting (erer and surviv
ed the cri- with Idle lett e IL is yeorr,lly can
Sicsfed however that such individuals are least eypos
ed 10 il for the future.
IL generally und-rs'ool that colt obtained AZ tbs
eXP4nse OF from SO 10 % 81 cents per dwf COSTS ne
much ae II Is worth. In the county of Burke il is
sald, about ten mines wrought wi bout any loss.
The chief part OF the diggsr however, on an estimate
pay not less Than 81 so Tor every dwt of gold thew on
tam. In the hearing Of informant il was asserted
that none in that county made money but this wac
Contracted by another person, who stated, as fact
WITHIN his own knowledge, that one man had actuslv
worksda mine at gain-bavng accumulated when
he ceafed operations, az least $50
mill costs but about $780, but If ne W mine ia n be
opened the ore must all be ported to H. and il NAV
be DISSENT. N'
The country is miserable and most of il does not AZ
ford what may be considered the comforts Of life ont
the principal towns.
Intelligent men find. that facts show gold mining in
N Carolina TO be hazardous as a common otterv-,bero
are more blanks Than prize; and il quart:r OF the
money there laid out and lost, by many individual
mad been Jujiciousy applied in e. a farm or al.
mos, any ordli airy employment, it would almost Ger.
hbiy nave yielded sufficient support for his family
- a copper miner saysa Peruvian proverb will
gro" RI h s'veT-mineT may aud may not; gold.
"'us' VIII lose. Nv Y. ID. AdU
The Railroad from LIVERPOOL 10 M,nches,sr q Al.