The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-02-16
THE GOLD MINES,
Instructions for Collecting, Testing, Melting and
Assaying Gold.


A publication, with the above title has Just beer
issued in New York, by Mr. Edward N. Kent, prac,
teal chemist. 1t contains full description of the
means of distinguishing native gold from the worth
less ores which are found in the same locality, and
chemical tests and necessary apparatus for testing
gold, silver. platina and mercury, accompanied
with engravngs, arranged in form so as to be easily
understood by any person visiting the California
gold regions. We annex brief and general view
of the pamphlet.
Ho,D to Wash the Gold Ore.
The native gold, found in grains or spangles, in
the sands of plains rivers, is of dull, orange
color and almost entirely pure virgin gold, with
small quantity Of silver. miner requires few
wooden bowls, holding one two gallons. Hav-
ing half filled them with the golden sand or earth,
he fills them up with water He then stirs them
with stick, and while the earth and sand are
pended in the water it is poured off the gold, from
its greater weight, having previously settled to the
bottom. This process is continued, until the water
fowsOff clear, and the gold is left in shining par
ticles, which are then put away in carefully
To Gather the Gold Dust.
Much of the gold, being in very fine dust, is now
lost, but it may be saved, by mixing as before al
lowing longer time for the dust to settle. If the
dust is not very fine, half a minute will be suf
cent; if very fine, minute or two minutes may
be necessary. If, On examining the residue with
small pocket microscope, it prove to be nearly all
gold, then there is reason to fear that of the
valuable metal has been washed off with the earth
and sand, and more time must be allowed for it to
settle. The platina, which is heavier than gold.
and even more valuable, is to be preserved with
equrl care.
Washing Gold in Rivers.
The operator, having provided himself with a
wooden bowl or dish his feet and legs being pro-
IL III lo1f III, -
howl with the golden earth or sand, and goes into
the water up to his knees. He plunges the dish
into the stream, fills it with water, and mixes the
clay or sand with his hand or with a stick then,
dexterousy whrling his bowl, so that it turns over
gently at every whirl the muddy water is gradually
poured out. while the gold remains in the bottom
of the bowl. He re-fs his bowl with water, until
all the clay and sand have been washed away.
The Gold Washing Bo,ols.
Wooden bowls, having deep, conical-shaped bot
toms, are best for gold washing. They should be
from Is to Is inches wide from rim to rim, and or
inches deep wooden bowl or dish of this size
will contain 20 pounds of the golden earth sand
If these cannot be had, then the ordinary bowls
sold at wooden-ware stores must be taken. Those
deep and conical bottoms are far preferable as
they retain the gold in small space, without risk
of losing it, when pouring out the earth and sand.
The Spurious Ore
The spurious ore found in California consists of
brilliant yellow than the real gold. These contain
copper, arsenic, zinc, and iron. 1t is very difficult
to distinguish them from pure gold without pro-
per test Iron pyrltes also abound in the California
gold region. 1t is generally found in the shape of
small cubes, but sometimes in other forms. Outside
it is a dark brown, inside bronze yellow color.
Mode of Testing New Gold.
Descriptions of the chemical tests, with engrav-
ngs of the apparatus required, given in detail,
and in language easily understood. test chest''
will enable any to decide upon the character Of
all valuable metals For this purpose there are
required seven vials, containing given quantities of
Nitric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid, Protochoiide of
Tin, Protosul phate of Iron, Solution of Ammonia,
and Chloride of Ammonium. Also, small porce-
lain mortar and postal scales, and a set of troy
weights; measure six test tubes !; brass spirit
lamp glass funnel Wi h twenty-four small filters
and two small TASKS Having put few grains of
the metal into one of the TASKS, pour nitric acid into
the measure, up TO the line twenty then pour the
acid into the flask, and apply gentle heat, by
ting the spirit lamp under the flask. If the metal
be gold it will not dissolve, and the acid will re-
main cooress but farth tests are required. Fill
the graduated measure to sixty" with hydrocho-
rio acid pour this into the nitric acid already in the
flask, and mix them together by whiring the flask.
This mixture of twenty parts nitric with sixty of
hydrochloric is called aqua regia, and is the only
practical solvent of gold If the metal now in the
flask be gold, it will dissolve slowly when heated
in the aqua regid, furnishing deep yellow solution.
To accomplish this, however, the mixture should
be heated with the spirit lamp at least fifteen
minutes, and even boiled. When there is no longer
any evolution Of gas in the flask, it is to be filled to
the top of the neck with clear rain water, closed
with the thumb, and the contents well mixed. If
the solution is not clear it must be filtered into the
graduated measure, or into another flask through
dertain description of paper placed in the funnel.
small quantity of the filtered solution is then put
into two test tubes. And few drops of protochIo-
ride of tin to the solution in one test tube, and
few drops of protosul phate of iron to that in the
other If purple pecipitate forms in the first tube,
and very fine powder of backish blue coloration
is produced in the second, these are positive eUi-
lences that the metal is pure gold