The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-04
JAS. C. BOOTH.

win ores oil mercury.
Respectfully yours, -
Dr. r. M. PATTERSON,
U. S. Mint, Philadelphia
| ASSAY OFFICE,
United States Mint, December %, is IS.
SIR: The specimen of native cinnabar from California
forwarded to the mint by the Secretary of War; has been
examined here to its yield in metallic mercury Taking
transverse section of the ore, which included the red
white, and brown layers the red predominatlng there
per cent of mercury The portion treated might be con-
sdered favorable working specimen.
Some indunes which were made in respect TO the sub
stances accompanying the gold of California may here be
replied to. First as to the platinum. This metal is evil
IDENTIFY present, and may be with the naked eye
amongst the ssanges OF gold and in similar form A
small quantity (about four grains in welght was for
warded from the War Department and was found to he
OF the specific gravity egheen being OF course debased
removable by washing. We have not yet determined
accurately what amount of this metal appears with the
gold deposited for coinage. Owing partly to its known
nractabilty in the furnace and partly to its crude
don, it is scarcely at all fused with the gold but is TO
be seen after The melting in its original FORM dotted upon
the surface OF the gold bars. What does enter into
not disturb the assay deerorate the metal for coming
or manufacturing purposes and this was material point
OF inquiry Taking it altogether WHEEL fused or not
present impression that 1t exists IN but small rea-
tive quantity, and will not be worth seeking after for lis
own sake.
Next as TO other ALLOWING metals it may be said that
practically, the only alloy OF this gold is uer, of which
we find. on the average, l0i parts in thousand The
gold yielding SOL, there is remainder of two thou
sandths, which is nearly or entirely copper. trace
OF iridium was manifest upon some OF the Cornets but
we have reason to believe it is trace only.
In the last place, we have TO mention examination
of samples OF sand, inerspersed with gold also
forwarded by the War Department Of This there were
two parcels The first, weighing in all about 81 penny
weights first reduced in bulk by removing the grains
smelling in the small way. The result of the whole
treatment was as follows:
Gold o.s parts in thousand.
Silver, combined with the gold l2 " Il"
Prooyide of iron (magnetc) 597.2
Residue consisting chiefly OF
| peroxide OF iron 3ol.S
This would be equal to 65 Is grains fine gold 77.07
grains of gold of native ineness, in pound avordupos
of the sand.
The other parcel was treated in two ways both differing
from the former First, wetook specific quantity, weighed
| by mlgrammes lequal TO about III pennywelghts,)
and having ceansed it by the magnet, subjected the
malnjer to very thorough amagamaion The amount OF
fine gold obtained was IL "A parts per thousand Again,
the quantity of sand thoroughly washed, (nore
time being taken to than would be likely pay in
large operation) and there resulted lao5 parts OF fine
gold per thousand To give cupelaton its due credit,
we must remark that this second parcel evidently the
richest to the eye The specific gravity OF the black
sand, without the gold is Al nearly Abe same that OF
simple magnetic iron.
aw far these results may be interesting to the public,
or important 10 The miner, 1t Is not easy TO say. II 1t
were the true state OF the that there was nothing
| to do but 10 shovel up aurcrous sand, which, by
proper treatment, would yield one thousand to twelve
hundred dollars bushe this would, indeed be start
ling disclosure any which has emanated from Cali.
fornan soil But what had reason to believe in ref
erence to this matter is conrne by official letter of
Captain Folsom, published in the Washington Union Of
the 23d instant from which beg to extract few lines
"The fine gold is found the lower portions of the
streams and is extracted from the earth by means of
be substituted for them The finest portions oil the earth
removed by washing, and kind OF gyratory motion
of the the gravel Is taken with the hand, and the
gold left in the vessel with kind of black, errngnou
| sand, unlike that used in writing The residue gold
and sandy is then left upon board cloth TO dry, when
sand is blown oil with common bellows the mouth,
while the greater specific gravity OF the gold it to
| remain behind"
It thus appears that the obtaining Of this rich sand is
almost the last of concentric operations and that
as they co. afford no definite indication of the richness
of the mining ground, since does not appear how many
panus bushels of the original earth must have been
wrought upon to obtain given quantity OF this black
sand Moreover, il is well known that mode of treat
ment, however skilful and scientific, has far enabled
gold miners to make approach, in large opera
ton, the result obtained by delicate assay~that is,
not without its costing more than it would be worth.
There many conditions to be weighed such a
difference of composition layers of the sand,
at short intervals of space and such choice in the
be venued from slight materials to the proper pro-
ducveness the probable pemanency of the mining in
terest in that remarkable region.
With great respect, your faithful servants,
JACOB r. ECKFELDT,
Assayer.
WILLIAM Z. DU BOTS,
Assistant Assayer.