San Andreas independent., 1857-01-17
Quartz Mining In Calaveras County.

A correspondent of the Alta, gives the
following particulars of quartz and quartz
mining in this county:
Permit me to give you few statistics
relative to Calaveras quartz mining, OBJ
tanned from reliable sources The difficult
ty in obtaining favorable returns from gold
bearing quartz when first worked in this
country, caused many to abandon leads
that had been prospected to considerable
extent, and to regard their development of
no great benefit. The extravagant de-
mands of labor, the heavy charges for ma
chinery to work the mines, and difficulty
in obtaining the ripe experience essential
in the selection of ore, and the want of
scientific certainty in the processes of
crushing the rock, and separating the gold
from it, proved obstacles to be overcome
before any good could result. All these
embarTassments have been removed, and
it needs only an adequate expenditure to
render the auriferous deposits available.
In Calayeras county, active preparations
are making by energetic men, to work by
machinery the different quartz leads, and
upon several of the veins mills are already
in operation. In erich Gulch," below
Mokelumne Hill, steam mill, with ff-
teen six hundred pound stamps, is in ope-
ration, and, as [ am credibly informed,
pursuing profitable business.
The Quartz Glen mills, (water power,)
with twelve twelve hundred pound stamps,
located upon the Mokelumne River, six
miles above Mokelumne Hill, has been in
operation over ten months. This mine,
although but partially opened, has yielded
richly since the commencement of its
working. The works have all the i'm
provements and many advantages. The
rock is broken at the lead, and conveyed
by sluice over half a mile to the mill
The water for sluicing is obtained from
the Mokelumne Hill ditch
One hundred tons of ore can be depos-
tied in the pit of the mill in half day, at
an expense of five dollars, requiring twen-
ty inches of water. The company are tun-
nelling, to strike the lead, one hundred
and fifty feet below its present working,
and the supposition is, the deposits will be
found rich. A vein was opened recently
at Poison Flat, and eight thousand dollars
taken out in one day. A mill is here in
process of erection
The valentine lead was, during the
fall, worked by so arastras, and yielding
richly.
The Herchner mill, on the river, is
in operation, and propelled by water power,
crushing ore from a rich vein. Above, on
the same stream, is the Texas mill, nearly
ready for working, with one of the best
water privileges in the State. The ore
now being excavated is rich, with sulphu-
rate, as also the lead half mile above on
the same river, known as the Lone Stal
mill These two latter leads are very SIM
liar, both rich gold-bearing veins.
At "West Point" there are several good
mills. The veins in this section are mar
row, but of attested richness. At Car
sons the old Carson Hill Company is pre-
parlng to commence crushing, and will be
in operation, with good steam MILL in
about six weeks.
At Angels Camp there are several mills
in progress and the peculiar character of
the quartz has attracted the attention of
all quartz miners. The "Winter" lead
has proved rich almost beyond compari-
son. The other leads in the neighborhood
have not yet been developed, but are sup