The Nevada journal., 1851-09-13
COMMUNICATION.

In the operations now being prosecuted
in quartz mining, and having been re
commended to inspect the works o.
the Bunker Hill Quartz Mining Com
pany, of this city, yesterday took a
stroll down the creek for that purposes
and in accordance with your general
request for contributions of this nature,
| take pleasure in giving you the re-
suit OF my perigrinations.
This company's quartz lead and
works are situated on the north bank
Of Deer Creek, between Cayoteville
and Woods ravine, in one of the most
romantic spots this side Of the Yuba
The first impression Of q stranger,
like myself, in viewing the works, is.
that he cannot be in California, but
somewhere in the immediate vicinity
Of manufacturing village in New
England The immense water wheel
of the works looming up from the un-
dergrowth on the banks of the creek,
the stupendous frame work support
ing the same the machine shop, count
ing house, furnace, and other works
are the cause Of this impression. The
operations of the company are doubt
less of more vital importance to the
mining interest of this country, than
, any that have hitherto attracted atten-
ton, they being Of a very novel ma
ture, and meeting generally with the
entire approval of those who have
given them proper investigation, and
If they ultimately succeed, will produce
an entire revolution in the present
system Of quartz mining. The stamp
ing and amalgamaiing process now
SO universally adopted, is by this com.
pany wholly rejected Without going
into an elaborate detail of the system
adopted for the extraction of the pre-
cious metal, I will simply state that
the proposed plan is to crush the quartz
by very powerful machinery into pie,
ces about the size Of common chest
nut, after which it is placed in fur
mace Of sufficient capacity to hold some
fifteen or twenty tons of the quartz,
and is then submitted to an even heat,
called the sweating" process, which
is not sufficiently great to run the
quartz, but enough so to melt, and con-
sequently extract all the precious me-
tai, which, while i'll molten state, by
its own specific gavity, falls through
the interstices Of the heated quartz to
the bottom of Tie furnace, and thence
into a chamber prepared for its recep-
ton. Simple as this process appears
to be, yet there are those who are not
wholly satisfied of its practicability
these, however, are but a few in mum.
Der, and who doubtless in a very shor
time will own that their opinions were
somewhat prejudiced.
J
The company have a lead OF quart;
averaging in width ten feet. pavin,
from careful analysis at the rate O,
an average, of nine and fye-eicbt,
cents per pound. Its expenditure,
tor the general works has cost thu,
far about $4,000 in cash, and will
| probably cost to complete them $4,000
or $1,000 moro, making total Of
about $4,000 The plan adopted BIZ
the company, is that of DR.. j. z.
Rogers, well known in the scientific
world, and who is very large owner
in the stock of the company. Should
his plan succeed, he has an addition
to make to his present high reputation
OF which one may well be envious.
The works are under construction
by Messrs. Austin &~buniap, VINO
| have shown their skill by their handi-
work on the premises. The eniirc
supervision and control Of the CON, /,
pany's business is in the hands of its
President, w. R. Rigby, Esq, than
whom it could moi have selected a more