Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-05-11
For the Advertiser.
Gold Mines of Edgefield.

0Olu MIHes OIL CQSeuelos
MR. EDITOR Possibly few passing remarks
ON the Gold Mines Of Sleepy Creek, culed from
my field notes, may interest some of your readers.
The different mines Of this vicinity are so SINH
lar and SO closely connected to locality, that it
will be most convenient to describe them under
the head of the Sleepy Creek Mines, than to sepa-
rate them according to the various propriotors.
The chief mining operations have bsen carried
on at the Gold Spring Mine, and latterly also at
the Immediately adjoining mine of Col. JOHN
QUArrLEBux. Here consequently more muy be
learned Of the peculiar occurrence than would be
observed at other points.
At frat the distribution Of tho veins is exceed
ingly pcrplcxing; for they are seen striking and
dipping in every possible direction, sometimes por-
fectly horizontal, then curring like saddle, then
again vsrticsl-here swelling to a diameter Of sev-
eral foet, there again thinning out to nero thread
-now cutting straight across the slate country
rock, or now agaiu conforming to the strike or d.
rsction Of the latter. An examination Of tho large
WORKABLE veins alonc leaves us therefore without
any satisfactory conclusions to the true mode Of
occurrence, and We must turn to tho minor veins
for an explanation. These are the models. We
may inspect them without fear of the obscuring
effects Of greater bulk xnd the solution Is then an
easy onc
: Tho country rock (the rock traveraed) of these
veins Ia an srsillaceous sste-sometimcs SO little
altered as still TO merit the term Of true saale.
This rock is exceedingly iissile. Crevicss have
consequently formed in all directions curviug and
ramifying through the slate in every conceivable
manner. Some of these assures, mure immediate
ly'dependant upon tho same powerful forces, to
which the AllOghanios and all their parallel ridges
owe their origin, were extended downwards to q
sufficient depth to become channels for these solu-
tons which contained the materials now filing the
epace of tho crevices. The literal cefs conducted
off portions of these solutons so that in reality,
notwithstanding the apparently anomalous chsrac-
tor Of these veins, their origin is the that
of all persistent veins.
Tho solutions referred to brought up silica and
copper. The guild is probably due to the country
rock. These minos show in . very clcar manner
that the lnttor metal cannot 10 infused by the
ehloritic sosp-,tone dykes, which 60 abound; for
while the sevageso these rather the snte along
their selvsgo, may be proftSbly worked for gold,
tho msss itself contains not trace. But this is
discussion not likely to interest many Of your
readers.
The majority of veins visible ut the surface havo
north esteriy strike, but those Of northeast-
sry or ea.t and wsst strike arc more likely to he
permanent in depth although it is quito possible
that The mnst important and reliable uf tho latter
nre covered up and do not show ut tho surfnce.
With view to determining this important question,
Col. QuArrLEBUx is now driving tunnel into the
base of the hill. Should ths present one not be
favored with satisfactory results, another, driven
ut right unglcsto it. would scarcely full to bO cOur
clusive.
These feins will undoubtedly at some future Pc
riod bocomo moro remunerstive for copper than for
gold but in the menntiiue-a period by no means
oon6ned-they will be able to furnish . valuable
supply of tho latter motyl. This is indeed liberal
IL diused through the vsin Stono, and some of the
moro choice ssmplos yislded paintings equal to
the very best which I have as yOt ieen In our
State. The vsin.stons of some Of tho veins aver.
ages about $l,oo per bushel, of Others sO,75.
Others again yield less average, but still may
furnish much valuable ore. The gold is exceeding
ly hpe. Indeed, there is but ono n,iue, with which
am acquainted, which has purer gold (ths
Brewer miuo in Chesterheld) and TINT only exceeds
this by 4l.lo0ths of a cent the pennyweishs. Two
as.ays made at the Dalunsgs mine, gave fnsss
of $50 and 0Ss, or value of 500 99.loo cts.
and sl,ol $1,000 cts per heavyweight respective
ly.
Regular work has barely been commenced as
yet, but judging from that which We now see, it
is sober and reasonable expectation to anticipate
the hupplsst results.
Yours, respectfully,
OSCAR N. LIEBER,
State Gsologist