American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-01-27
Gold Hunting Geology.

uhEe OCcuTEeu N QutOs lnulbn0 anQ Iowa.
In nearly every instance some gold was
found, but tbe locality soon became ex-
bausted, and disappointment followed, -
None we're ever paid for their labor. The
question naturally arises, il some gold has
been found in the States named. why NAV
il not exist there in quantities. as well as in
Carolina, Georgia and California? 1t may
be well to answer this question in the light
Of Geology.
| AL gold and silver Is derived from fs
lHres in the rocks, which have been filed
with metal from the interior Of the earth.
These veins never exist except in regions
where there has been much disturbance of
the earth's crust BY volcanic action. The
strstiied rocks Of the globe, when undis-
turbed, lie in horizontal layers or beds
In suOh rocks, mineral VEINS are not 10 be
{ und, such as gold, silver and copper
But where the strata have been thrown IN.
te a vertical heap or inclined position,
there metallic veins may be expected. Sill
yer and copper are usually found, il their
veins, in the form Of ores ahich are bolh-
bic in water; but gold, being insoluble, is
always found in its pure state as q metal.
As time wears away the rocky strata, in
cludipg gold veins, this metal, remaining
undecomposed, is strewed over the surface
IN the vicinity Of its veins. or carried a,
way by the rains, or streams of wafer, or
glaciers. along with the sand. gravel and
rocky fragments with which il becomes
intermingled. Being of greater specific
gravity than debris of the rocks, the gold,
in its transportation. finds its way 10 the
bottom Of the loose deposits. and is mostly
found resting there upon the deoomposed
4 rocks. - .tt ,..t, 80.
Gold is found, then, in two conditions,
viz: included in veins, and strewed over
the surface of the base Of drifted deposits.
But silver and copper. occurring generally
in the form of ores, soluble in water, dis.
sppear from the surface as the veins are
worn down and are not found in quantities
except at depths beneath that at which
they remain unaffected by atmospheric
agencies. ,,.,-s,.
Now, whenever. surface gold is found
10 region where the rocks are disturbed,
the Geologist infeas that gold veins exist
near at hand; but if the rocks are undis-
turbed, the finding of surface gold is no
indication that veins exist 10 this viciIity.
II must have been TRANSPORTED from dis.
tance, along with the drifted deposits at
the base Of which it is found. IA, II.
Throughout Ohio. Indiana, Illinois, and
Iowa, the rocks are all of the strstiied or.
der and remain nearly horizontal. having
never been broken up by volcanic action
and the intrusion Of metallic veins. The
only exceptions are the lead regions of Ill
inois and Iowa, where disturbances have
occurred. According TO geological sci
ence, no gold veins can exit in any ofthese
States where the rocks remain horizontal.
How is this fact to be explained consist,
emily with the principles Of Geology? 1t is
thus explained: ca Us ,as5 81
In the States named. there is strewed O.
yer the surface Of the whole country, 10
irregular bees Of various depths, what is
called the DiluUial formation. II is com
posed of Granalic and Metamorphic rocks.
grayels, sands, clays and portions Of the
local rocks. No granite, syenite, geniss
or other primary rocks exist. in place, in
any ofthese States. The masses of them,
atrewed over the surface, and forming part
OF the Diluvium, have. therefore, been
transported to their present resting places
from a distance. What little gold has
been found is ihcluded in this Diluvium,
and has been traubported along with the
Boulders. All the varieties of rocks rep
resented in the Diluvium, are to be found
to the north west, in the Lake Superior
and Rocky Mountain regions. Their
transportation eastward is supposed to
have been effected by the agency Of ice,
bergs, alta period when the Continent was
immersed in the waters of the ocean,, or
by sudden inaowing Of the sea over the
Continent from the northwest. The par
ticles Of gold in the Diluvium, could only
be derived from that source. 1t is no more
strange to see gold in this formation. in
Ohio, than to see blocks Of granite in it
there. AZ granite must exist, en- place, in
the northwest, SO also must gold veins
exist there; but to what extent, and in
what quantities, hone can yet determine.
From all the examinations made in the
States under consideration, no encourage
ment is afforded TO- the gold hunter to dig
any longer in The Diluyium. 1t must be
labor lost. This must be apparent when
it is considered that the veins from which
gold already found has been derived. must
be located alta distance north west Of at
least Eve or six hundred miles; and he who
would find it in paying Quantities, must
shift his laborS to that distant field of ac-
ton. .,'r.
1 II has been said that the rocks of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. ste nearly
horizontal. except at few poiuts; and
that they have not been subjected to vol.
csnic action and the intrusion Of nieialio
veins, This IS trus, also. OF the greater
part Of Kentucky. A line drawn from
Sandusky City to Knoxville. Tennessee.
presents the strata Of The rocks horizontal
as far. as Cumberland Mountaip. Here
they are thrown up into an arob or anti
clinical axis. dipping to the north on the
northern side, and TO the south on the
southern side, Beyond ;this point the
disturbance continues for nearly, three
hundred milos; aud in this dis:ance-start-