The Georgetown news., 1856-03-27
NO. %.
Gold Quartz Mining.

The Nevada Journal says:-At no time
since the grand burSt-up III quartz opera
tiops in this section in 1872; have the
prospects in quartz mining been so good as
they arc now, not only in this sectltn, but
in every section of the State in which quartz
leads have been prospected and wrought
In Nevada. El Dorado, Placer and Sierra
counties, we learn, many quartz leads have
been tested, proving the existence OF gold
sufficient to warrant the establishment OF
mills and all the necessary machinery for the
successful development of their wealth.
Many Of these quartz Il ads are exceedingly
rich, and will yield enormous profits on the
judiciouS investment of money for the ma
chnery. In fact, we believe this is to be
the only gold mining in which capitalists
can engage without risks; and in quartz
mining there need be no greater risks run
than the mere prospecting of leads. When
1t is fully ascertained that lead will pay.
machinery can he erected and the work If
making money can commence at once. III
the earliest days of quartz mining, the rich
est company which could be formed would
be made TO fail, from the excess and extrav-
fg nee of its expenditures Mills then cost
100000 to 100000. Now, we undertake
to say that a mill better than any of those
which cost such princely sums can be elec-
ted for $500, including a steam engine for
the propelling power. And if a water
power can be obtained where the mill is
wanted, then a much smaller sum will SUI
fee. Deduct as the engine would cost over
that of fume, water-wheel &C., and you will
have the cost of mill ready for use. Men
of experience have come to the conclusion
that the simplest machinery is the best
Hence it is that stamps are now almost eX-
clusively used. Improvements in amalga-
mating have also taken place, thereby sa1
ing much labor and considerable gold
Better leads have been discovered within
few years than any which had mills erected
upon them few years ago. Altogether
there is much more knowledge eXtant in
regard to the practical 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 quar- tz
than in placer mining; for a quartz lead =,
once proved to be rich, is an eXhaustless
source of wealth; whereas gravel deposits
are the beds of old streams, which were as
tortuous formerly as they are now, and TIE
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 tha entire gold product,
The number of men engaged in producing
it is certainly not One-twentieth of those
laboring in the mines. AS gold-bcaring
quartz leads are being discovered frequent
ly, and new mills are constantly being cree
ted, the relative product OF gold from quartz
will constantly increase, until i'll 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 a year than has ever been pro
duced, and the opinion is based upon some
knowledge of past and present mining ope-
rations. California mining has not yet
reached its elimination, and will not until
quartz receives the attention which its i'm
portance deserves.