New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-09-20
THE GOLD MINES OF THE SOUTH

The Gold region of the Atlantic States is chiefly con
fined TO a narrow belt or strip of schistOse rocks,
extending from the Rappahannock in Virginia to the
Coosa River in Alabama. varying in width from a few
wards to several miles with its continuity often inter-
rupted by intrudng rocks of more ancient date. The
general course of this belt from Virginia to Georgia is
\. T. and s W. After entering the latter State, it
bends somewhat more to the westward until all traces Of
il are lost in the State of Alabama II may be said TO
extend however TO Canada on the North gold having
been found at Canaan n H. and in the State OF Maine
We have also noticed it at Middle Haddam, the Con
nectcut River Up the present time in the States OF
Virginia. North and South Carolina and Georgia only
have gold mines been worked.
The goldbearng rocks par erceience are the alcose
and tslcomicaceous states rocks belonging TO the met
amorphic series of eeologs ranking next in age to the
granite greasy to the feel aud of ell degrees OF hard
ness and shades of coloring. Gold Is also found IN
eneiss sienite, hornbende, mca-slate and granite
Occasionally il is disseminated throughout the rock,
but most generally occurs in veins OF quartz oxide OF
iron copper or iron pyres II Is usually Ill state oi
minute division of the best ores giving no eAter
nal indications OF the richness, the gold only becoming
visible on pulyerizing the specimen and carefully
washing of the sand
The largest mass ever found in the gold region of
the South was picked up in Cabarrus County, y &,
and weighed thirty-seyen pounds Troy Inc clrcum-
stances attending its discovery and the disposition
made of il By the finder somewhat singular MS
person who was poor and ignorant farmer. one day
while fishing had bis attention attracted 10 bright
mass shining az the bottom of the brook. lie got II
out and carried il home, whore il was kept several
wears as curiosity neither himself nor his neighbors
having the slightest suspicion Of It's value Finally
being persuaded By his wife, upon market day 10
take il TO town and sell il, lie offered IL to Jeweer
who generously gave him s5 for what was worth over
$500 II is not little remarkable that no mass
weighing over pennyweight has since been found IN
this locality.
The mines are OF two classes. known as VEN mines
and branch" or deposit mines In the former, the
metal il found in the solid rock The deposit or branch
mines are usually beds OF gravel and quartz pebbles
frequently rounded by the action OF water 0ut some
times angular They are mostly confined 70 the Deds
Of streams in valleys and depressons and vary IN thick
mss from two 10 ten feet though the auriferou Por-
NON seldom exceeds two feet IN thickness Inc god Is
not found scattered unfortunately through these
beds but is generally found near the bottom resting
upon the UNDERLYING rock. Occasionally beds Oi cay
and or gravel are nterpOsed between the arierous
beds Not unrequently the topping, as II = termed
or everything earth Is a rich and productive soil lnese
deposits which in California and Australia are de'eVP
"a on an immense scale for the most part must De
referred to the action OF causes not al present I'D ope
ration since In MANY cases. the minerals accompany
ne the gravel are found in places IN ROCKS Separated
from the deposit b. mountain ridge and 10 Others the
deposit i situated on the summit OF the blue hlI9r'
showing plainly that il must have been formed when
the level OF the country different In all cases the
gold Of deposit mines has been derived rom the
ton Of veins by aqueous In TACT the! may De
seen in the process of formation where the gcosaf
ng slate is Of soft nature the rains dsntegrahg tAe
rocks ard washing the gold down the nil s"fs nv ~
Expressions Deposits are more numerous 10 .He
states Of south Carolina and Georgia than IN virginia
Or North Carolina owing most probably To the laet
that the sstes Of tie former states are soit" man
those Of the latter Extensive deposits occur N the
upper districts of tie state OF South Carolina ana 70
tie state of Georgia none Of which, ho"eEe.. can
compare with the Californian or Australian -.
From the desultory and irregular manner N Waicn
fLy b,v. hsen walked il j. impossible 10 obtain any
reliable statistics Of their yield Il =, sen ts Bp eSe
Ic9 n ,-i,i nav 10 work dollar DAY 70 the
hand over and above expenses, (Which where negroe
are EMPLOYED should not exceed % cents e HAu"J =
considered a fair business
In deposit mines grinding is not resorted To- pu' Use
cold i collected by separating Il frcr the gravel Inc
simplest instrument in use for tns purpose u ue
common fr,ingpan. from which the handle has been