The mountain Democrat., 1863-06-06
Copper Mining.

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great importance M SHGS Cs~se, AcssS 1-s.,y
hundreds Of men are engaged in search
ing OF prospecting for copper, we propose
to give some information which many,
who are thus engaged, may find not only
interesting but valuable. We extract
from Ure's Dictionary Of mines the fol-
lowing description Of the different ores.
Men often discover minerals without be-
| ing able 10 tell what they have found
Ure says
l. Native copper occurs in crystals,
branches and filaments, its most common
locality being in primitive rocks. 1t is
found abundantly in Siberia, ct the mines
of TOurinski, in those of Hungary, Of
Funde. .MOldavi, in Gallicia, Of Fuhlun, in
Sweden, of Cornwall, &c. The gauges OF
native copper are granite, gneiss, mica,
slate, clay slate, quartz, carbonate or flu
ate Of lime, sulphate Of bArytes, &c. The
most remarkable masses Of native copper
hitherto observed we're: :, First, one in
Brazil, fourteen leagues from Baza, which
weighed 2,616 pounds; and, secondly,
another which DR.. Erancis lie Baron dis
covered in America south of lake Supe
rior. 1t was nearly fifteen fcetin circum-
ference.
2. Sulphate Of copper, the vitreous ore
Of Brochant. The texture Of this ore is
compact; its fracture conchoidal, surface
sometimes dull color, iron black or lead
gray, often blush, iridiscent, or redish
from q mixture Of protoxide. This ore
yields to the knife, assuming a metallic
lustre when cut, it is easily melted by
the heat Of a candle, but more difficult Of
reduction than protoxide. Its density
varies from 4:9 to 6:S4. Its composition,
according to Klapworth, is 1876 copper,
1876 sulphur, with little iron and SILICA.
Its equivalent constitution by theory is
80 copper by 20 sulphur-100; whence
1876 Of metal should be associated with
1876 Of sulphur. The ore therefore is one
Of the richest Of ores, and forms very
powerful veins, which, likewise, contain
some orange protOxide. 1t is to be found
in ell considerable copper districts; in
Siberia, Saxony, Sweden, and especially
Cornwall, where the finest crystals occur.
8. Copper pyrites resembles in its me-
talic yellow hue, sulphuret iron; but the
latter is less pale, harder and strikes fire
more easily with STEEL 1t presents the
most lively rainbow colors. Its speci6a
gravity is AZ. 1t contains generally q
good deal Of iron, as the following analy.
sis will show: copper, 80, sulphur, 81,
iron, 33, in 100 parts. According to
Thisinger, the Swedish pyrites contains
63 Of copper, II Of iron, and 25 of sui
phur. These ores occur in primitive and
transition districts in vast masses and
powerful veins, and are commonly &C.
companied with gray copper, sulphuret Of
iron, spany iron, sulphurets Of lead, and
zinc.
4. Gray copper has steel gray color,
more or less deep, either shining or dull ;
fracture uneven distinct metallic lustre
difficult of fusion at the blow.pip it
communicates to glass or borax q yellow.
ishred color. Its density in crystals is
4:10. Its composition is very variable ;
consisting essentially of copper, iron, an
timony and sulphur. The exploration Of
this ore is profitable, in consequence of
the silver which it frequently contains
1t occurs in primitive mountains, and is
often accompanied with red silver ore,
copper pyrites, and crystalized quartz.
8. PrOtoxide Of copper, or red oxide Of
copper; its color is deep red. sometimes
very lively, especially when bruised. 1t
is friable, difficult Of fusion at the blow
pipe, reducible on charcoal, soluble with
effervescence in nitric acid, forming a
green liquid. It's constitution, when pure,
is ss:9 copper, and Ill oxygen-1OO.
8. Black oxide Of copper is of velvet
black, incliniDg sometimes to brown or
blue; and it acquires the metallic luStre
on being rubbed II is infusible at the
blOw.pipe. Its composition is, copper,
80, oxygen, 90; being a true peroxide.
2. Hydrosilicate Of copper consists es-
sentially of oxide Of SILICA, and water. Its
color is green and its fracture is con-
choidAl, with resinous lustre, like most
minerals which contain water. Its spe.
cific gravity Is 2:7S. 1t is infusible at
the blow-pipe, alone, but melts easily with
borax.
8. Diaytose copper, or emerald mala-
chite a beautiful but rare cupreous met.
al, consisting Of oxide Of copper, carbon
ate Of lime, SILICA, and water in varying
proportions.
9. Carbonate Of copper, malachite, is
Of q blue or green color. 1t occurs often
in beautiful crystals.
10. Sulphate of copper, blue vitriol,
similar to the artificial salt of the labrato.
~. The blue water that flows from Ger.
tain copper mines is q solution of this
salt. The copper is only procured in the
metallic state by plunging pieces Of pure
iron into it.
II. Phosphate Of copper is Of an eme
raid green, or verdigris color, with some
: spots of black. 1t presents fibrous OIL
tuberculous masses with a silky lustre il
, the fracture. 1t dissolves in nitric acid
without effervescence, forming blue Ii
quid melts at the blow-pipe, and is re
ducible upon charcoal, with the aid of I
little grease, into metallic globule. 1t
powder does not color fame green, lik,
, the powder Of muriate of copper.
= IL. Muriate of copper is green, Of vari
! Gus shades; its powder imparts to fam,
.. q remarkable blue and green. 1t dis
solves in nitric acid without effervescence
and is easily reduced before the blow
!. pipe. Its density is 3:5. By Kluproth'
analysis it consists of oxide of copper, 70
muriatic acid, 10, water, II.
Is. Arseniate of copper occurs in beau
tiful blue crystals. Before the blow-pip,
it melts, exhaling fumes Of a garlic odor
E and it affords metallic glObules when il
D contact with charcoal.