The Nevada journal., 1856-02-29

Quartz MINING.-At no time since tn
grand burst-up in quartz operations in thi
section in 1S51--2 have the prospects il
quartz mining been so vbd as they ar
now, not only in this section but in ever,
section of the State inp#hich quartz lead
have been prospectsd and wrought. Ii
Nevada, Ell Doyads, Placer and sierr,
counties, We Yarn, many quartz lead
have been tested probing the existence o
gold sufficient to warrant the establish
ment of mills and all the necessary ma
chinery for the Successful development o
their wealth. Many of these quartz lead.
are exceedingly rich, and will yield enor.
nous profits on the judicious investment
of money for the machinery. In fact We
believe this to be the only gold-mining il
which capitalists can engage without risks
and in quartz mining there need be nc
greater risks run than the mere prospect
ing Of leads. When it is fully ascertained
that a lead will pay, machinery can be
erected and the work of making money can
commence at once. In the early days Of
quartz mining the richest company which
could be formed would be made to fail
from the excess and extravaganza of its
expenditures Mills then cost $4,000
to 100000. Now, we undertake to say
that mill better than any of those which
cost such princely sums can be erected
for $500, including a steam engine for
the propelling power. And if water
power can be obtained where the mill is
wanted, then a much smaller sum will suf
flee. Deduct as much as the engine would
cost over that of flume, waterwheel, &c.,
and you will have the cost of a mill ready
for use. Men ofexperience have come to
the cog 'nrioh that the simplest machinery
is the best. Hence it is that stamps are
now almost exclusively used. Improve
ments in amalgamating have also taken
place, thereby saving much labor and con-
siderable gold. Better leads have been
discovered within few years than any
which had mills erected upon them a few
years ago. Altogether there is much more
knowledge extant in regard to the practi-
cal working of quartz than there was even
one year ago. And we undertake to say
that there will be henceforth much less
money lost in quartz than placer mining ;
for quartz lead, once proved to be rich,
is an exhaustless source of wealth; whereas
gravel deposits are the beds ofold streams
which were as tortuous formerly as they
are now, and the gold deposit in them is
as uncertain as in the present river beds.
We believe the yield throughout the
State from quartz mining is at present
about one-sixth of the entire gold product
The number of men engaged in producing
it is certainly not one-twentieth of those
laboring in the mines. As goId-bearing
quartz leads are being discovered frequent
ly, and new mills are constantly being
erected, the relative product of gold from
quartz will constantly increase until, in
our belief, more gold will be produced
from this source than from placer mining.
We are of the opinion that more gold will
be produced in this State in year than
ever has been produced, and the opinion
is based upon some knowledge of past and
present mining operations. California
mining has not yet reached its elimination
nor will not until quartz receives the at
tention which its importance deserves.
- MrNtS.y rD