The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-11-11
WHOLE NUMBER



Rev. G. S. Lyman communicated 10 the
last number Of Silliman's Journal letter
dated Pueblo de San Jose, in March last,
wherein an account is given Of Cinnabar
Mine, Qhe Mine Of New Almaden) situa.
ted few miles from the coast, about mid.
way between San Francisco and Monterey,
and in one of the ridges Of Sierra Azul
Mountain. The mouth Of the mine is few
yards down from the summit Of the highest
hill that has yet been found to contain
quicksilver, and is 1900 feet above the
neighboriDg plain, and not much more
above the ocean. This hill extends longi.
tudinally in north-westsrly direction, de-
creasing in height; and in various parts oft,
for several miles, traces of the ore have
been found, and some openings have been
made which promise to be valuable. This
range OF hills consists Of variety OF rocks.
The prevailing one is greenish talcose,
which seems to embrace the bed Of ore at
the New Almaden Mine, both above and
below. The ore is interspersed through a
yellow ochIous malrix, which forms bed
NJ tect IN. thickness. dipping sostiz. westerly
at an angle Of about As degrees. The rich.
est ore is at present found in the upper pari
OF the bed, the poorer ores being taken from
the lower portion.
This mine, known TO the aborigines from
time immemorial as ''cave Of red earth, ~
from which they obtained paint for their
bodies, was first discovered TO contain quick.
silver about four years since, during exper,
lments made by some Mexicans TO smell
the ore Tor the purpose Of obtaining gold,
which they supposed it to contain. Sever
al attempts since to work the mine, have
proved futile, until recently Mr.. Forbe:
of the firm Of Barron, Forbes q Co., hav.
ing the present charge of the entire opera
tons, wished TO devise some way of extract
ing the metal without mixing lime with the
ore in the roasting, but was unsuccessful.
At length kiln Of lime, which occurs in
the immediate vicinity, was burned, and
mingled with this, the ores yield vastly
larger per centage Of metal. In the last
three weeks (says Mr.. r. about 10000
pounds Of metal have been extracted with
the same apparatus, being yield Of over
| fifty per cent. Between $4,000 and %.
600 pounds have been extracted in about
tlco months, only six miners having been
employed in digging the ore, and the hands
Of the establishment, all told, miners. fur
nace-men, wood-choPPers, &c, &C., mum.
bering only a score. The mine is probabl,
yielding net profit Of about 100000 (
year. even with its present crude apparatus
With suitable furnaces and iron cylinder.
or retortS, the mine would easily yield 81 q,
100000 and upward. The other mine:
opened in the vicinity have not yet beer
sufficiently developed to decide upon then
character. Ore has been found in fifteer
or twenty other places within few mile.
around, and within few days, in hills tina
do not seem to belong to the same range
with that which contains the mine ALREADY
described. Some ores Of silver have ais,
been recently discovered in this region-bu
whether silver mines worth the working vii
be found, is at least problematcal. Their,
are traces Of Coal in the country, but moth
ing Of value has yet been discovered. Col,
has been found occurring in small masse
in the sands Of new mill-races and else
where, and is said to promise well. Thes
gold-mine speculations, however, are yer
apt to disappolnt the sanguine expectation
of their vast extent and wealth.