Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-06-11
The Quicksilver rIinc. of California.
A II the silver of Nnvadn and nj lea st

All the silver of Nevada, and at least
two-thirds of the gold of California, are
obtained by means of amalgamation, and
could not be saved without it. These
metals are often in particles so minute as
to be invisible, hidden in earth or rock, of
which they form very small proportion
from one per cent down to thou
sandth part of one per cent. If the mate
rial be rock, it must be pulverized, if
earth, it must be dissolved, so that every
niece of metal be set free; and then the
earthly or rocky matter is carried away by
water, the gold and silver having speci-
fic gravity so heavy that they are left.
Gold is nineteen times heavier than water;
silver is twelve times heavier, in proper
ton to its bulk. But it is observed that
small particles are carried away more
readily by water than are large particles.
Any one can try the experiment. A
lump as large as filbert will not move IN
current strong enough to carry down
particles as fine as sand. Now, much OF
the gold in the mines is SO fine that the
miners call it "foat gold," because it will
float in moving water. The loss of gold
in placer mining is usually in proportion
TO the fineness of the particles; of coarse
nuggets very few are lost.
Quicksilver has several qualities which
fit it for service in catching the fine dust
of the precious metals. Whenever 1t
touches them it sticks to them, and when
ever two of its own particles touch, they
unite. Thus, when put in battery, or
the sluice, it catches the gold and silver,
and collect them into masses large enough
to resist the current. So important IS the
part of quicksilver in the mining industry
of Nevada and California, that it may be
said, without exaggeration, that the pros
perity of both depends upon its abund-
ance and cheapness. By a singular and
fortunate coincidence, great mine OF that
metal was rendered productive at the
very time when large additional supply
became necessary to assist in working the
placers and auriferous quartz lodes ofCal
ifornia and Australia; and after the chief
mine has been closed, it was again opened
in time to meet the demands of Nevada
Territory.
The richest, the most productive, and
the most profitable quicksilver mine Ill
the world is that of New Almaden,
which is situated sixty miles southwark
from San Francisco, and twelve miles
from San Jose, on the western border OF
the Santa Clara Valley, near the head
waters of the Guadalupe river, at an ele-
vation of 1000 feet above the sea. The
production amounts to about 2,5OO,OO0
pounds per year. The ore has averaged
eighteen per cent, but much has yielded
80 per cent, and lately considerable guam
titles of so per cent. have been obtained:
Old Almaden, in Spain, has been worked
for 1000 years, and now yields 1000, 600
pounds annually. The Idria mine, in
Tyrol. produces 100000 pounds. All
other mines in Christendom may produce
SOC, 900 pounds. There is rich mile III
China, but it's position and production
are unknown beyond the limits OF the
empire. The Enriqueta mine, near the
New Almaden, yielded 100000 pounds in
1860, but the supply of ore is exhausted.
Workmen are now engaged in running
tunnel in search of more. The Guada-
lupc. in the same neighborhood, yielded
l2O, 900 pounds in 1858, but they stopped
work for time. They have lately com
menccd again. The New Idria mine in
Merced county, about one hundred miles
southeastward from San Jose, produced
100000 pounds in 1861, but work has
been stopped there, and the property is
in litigation. The Josephine mine in San
Luis Obispo county, eighteen miles from
San Simeon, has produced ore estimated
to be worth $1,000, and it gives promise
of great value. Some well-intormed
persons say that there is good reason
to hope that it will rival the New Al
MAIDEN, in the quantity and quality OF its
ore. The Company wos incorporated IN
San Luis Obispo county, but they intend
10 remove their office to San Francisco.
This indicates confidence. No furnace has
vet been erected, nor has any metal yet
been extracted. The only mine besides
the New Almaden now producing quick
silver in the State is the Lake mine, IN
Lake county, forty-fve miles from Suisun,
on the road to Clear Lake.
The consumption of California Is about
G.5OO TASKS, or 4S7, 800 pounds; and of
Nevada probably $500 TASKS, or 2l2,5OO
pounds annually, making a total consump-
ton of 10000 TASKS for the coast. The
consumption of Arizona, Idaho, Oregon,
Washington and British Columbia is at
present mere trife. All the quicksilver
of the State not required for home con-
sumption is exported, and the amounts
manifested at the Custom House in San
Francisco since 1853 have been as follows !: